Lasse Hallström Takes Over Transgendered Drama 'The Danish Girl' With Nicole Kidman & Gwyneth Paltrow

“Dear John” director Lasse Hallström has revealed to the Swedish press that he is now set take over Tomas Alfredsson’s gig in directing the transgendered-drama “The Danish Girl,” starring Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The film is based on a novel by David Ebershoff and focuses on the 1930s-set story of the first ever sex-change patient, Einar Wegener, a male Danish artist whose love affair with his wife — fellow Danish artist Gerda Wegener — and art set him up on the path to an eventual male-to-female operation. Kidman will play the transgendered protagonist and Paltrow will play the wife, and according to reports, we should see the pair as male and female initially. That will be interesting. Hilary Swank, watch out.

Tomas Alfredson (“Let The Right One In”) was originally slated to direct the film but evidently left after being refused more time to develop the script, written by Lucinda Coxon. Is this a bad sign for Hallström’s iteration? This also comes after Charlize Theron was replaced by Paltrow last year. Shooting will reportedly begin this May in Budapest, Prague and Denmark if this report proves to be correct.