Aaron Tviet, perhaps best known for his role on The CW’s Gossip Girl, has signed on for the big screen adaption of Les Miserables. The musical is based on the novel by Victor Hugo.

The musical’s synopsis:

“After 19 years on the chain gang, Jean Valjean finds that the ticket of leave he must display condemns him to be an outcast. Only the Bishop of Digne treats him kindly and Valjean, embittered by years of hardship, repays him by stealing some silver. Valjean is caught and brought back by the police and is astonished when the Bishop lies to the police to save him. Valjean decides to start his life anew.”

The Hollywood Reporter tells us Tviet ”will play Enjolras, who leads a student rebellion in the streets of Paris and orders Javert’s execution.”

Hugh Jackman is in the lead as Valjean, with Russell Crowe playing Inspector Javert who is trying to find and arrest him. Also in the cast are Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne.

Les Miserables is directed by The King’s Speech‘s Tom Hooper and was written by William Nicholson, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. It’s set for release December 7.

I’ve never read the novel or seen the musical, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from those who have. There’s almost a full year before the film’s release, so if I start now I may actually finish the 1400+ page novel in time.

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter