The upcoming musical film is being directed by Oscar winner Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and stars Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe and Anne Hathaway. It is expected to hit theaters December 7th, 2012.

Les Miserables tells the story of unjustly convicted prisoner Jean Valjean, who has an uncanny level of physical strength. Determined to change his circumstances, the protagonist violates his parole, changes his names and becomes an industrious factory owner and eventually Mayor. In this new role, he becomes a champion of the oppressed, poor, and downtrodden. He saves a woman named Fantine, who has an illegitimate child, Cosette, from a life of social exile and certain death. He also uses his considerable brawn to save a man from an overturned carriage. He can not escape his past however and is pursued by Javert, a police officer with an unflinching sense of justice. All this happens at a time of growing political revolution and unrest at the governments neglect of the common and poor.

Hugh Jackman will star as Jean Valjean with Russell Crowe as his antagonist Inspector Javert. Anne Hathaway will play Fantine. Tony Award winner Eddie Redmayne, who can be seen in theaters opposite Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn, has signed on to play the part of Marius. Sacha Baron Cohen has signed on for the role of Monsieur Thenardier, while Helena Bonham Carter will play his wife.

According to a recent report, Taylor Swift -- whose silver screen debut was in the ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day -- has been offered the role of Éponine; daughter to the greedy Thénardiers played by Carter and Cohen. Similarly, Amanda Seyfried (In Time, Mamma Mia!) has reportedly been offered the role of Cosette, daughter to Hathaway's Fantine. Neither of these castings have been officially confirmed as of yet.

Director Tom Hooper, who won an Academy Award for last year's The King's Speech, recently revealed that the film will be released in "good old-fashioned 2-D" after 3-D testing didn't meet purported expectations. The script was penned by William Nicholson with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil. Experienced musicals show runner of stage and screen Cameron Mackintosh will be on to produce with Working Title's Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Debra Hayward. Les Miserables is scheduled for theatrical release on December 7, 2012.