Newell Takes To Beach For Mendez

Director Mike Newell ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Prince of Persia") is set to replace Sam Mendes ("American Beauty," "Revolutionary Road") at the helm of the film adaptation of "Atonement" author Ian McEwan‘s 2007 book "On Chesil Beach" reports Screen Daily.

Mendes was working on the film a few years ago and filming was a month away from kicking off last year when Focus Features withdrew their funding and the film was in limbo.

With Mendes now committed to the next James Bond feature "Skyfall" for much of the next year, he's staying on in a producing capacity. Newell gets to work as soon as he wraps up filming his new adaptation of  "Great Expectations".

Set in the UK in the 60's, the story revolves around two repressed virgins in their early 20's whose futile attempt at lovemaking leads to doubt and recriminations. McEwan himself adapted the script.

Carey Mulligan had been linked as the female lead role, but that's likely no longer the case