If someone saysCinderellato you, what are the first thoughts that come to your head?

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Kenneth Branagh: That its unusual.

A surprise to ask me about it and a good surprise.

I wanted to make a film with a woman really and women who are really front and center.

And it seemed that the myth was probably long overdue for a kind of revisit.

So I was excited.

I was intrigued and that got my juices flowing.

I mean, you just venture to make the tale as authentically as you might.

So to some extent youre not trying to second guess what a certain kind of audience will have.

Well I think theyre deceptively simple and are often stories containing tales of dysfunctional families.

Often they just provide the sheer entertainment value of, in this case, empathizing with an underdog.

Is she going to win?

If she does, maybe we can.

I think that sort of basic human recognition is part of it.

Too many silly things happen.

No one thoughtThorcould come to the screen and make it work and here we are.

And that also taps into the idea of the primal storytelling, I think.

I think we love the escapism of something likeCinderellaand I think we do withThor.

Did you look at the animated film again?

I watched it once again, enough to establish that we were in such different territory.

We depart significantly but I think necessarily from where it sits.

[Related:NewCinderellaTrailer is Here]

Was it difficult to find your Cinderella?

And she has this dazzling but still approachable beauty that I think is also very winning.

Shes not over made up.

She not suddenly in some sort of crazy hairdo.

Was it important for Cate and for you to have a little bit more background for the wicked stepmother?

And so even a 10-year-old was picking up on the why of it.

but maybe considering forgiving.

Whats next for you?

What are you doing?

Have you seen more of the movies since then and would you consider going back to that?

I have seen more of the movies and as Ive said before I had a good time there.

It was a really sort of pivotal moment to me doingThorand I like them.

I like Kevin very much.

You know, you never say never.

But I think theyre masters of their own destiny.

So Im definitely a fan of the world.

[Related:Kenneth Branagh Reflects on DirectingThor]

Would you like to get back to Shakespeare as well?

Id love to, yes.

I would love to.

Shakespeares always on my dance card if it can be.

Cinderella is out in theaters Friday (March 13).