Tom Hooper to direct Les Miserables

'The King's Speech' director Tom Hooper will take on a new movie version of 'Les Miserables'.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker - who reportedly turned down a number of high profile projects including 'Iron Man 3' - is currently in final negotiations to direct a version of the theatre production set in 19th century France, according to Variety.

'Les Miserables' has been on cinema screens before in the 1998 non-musical version - starring Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman and 'King's Speech' actor Geoffrey Rush - and it would be the first project Tom has signed on to since wrapping on the highly-acclaimed drama about Britain's stammering King George VI last year.

Working Title productions is developing the movie along with the show's original stage producer, Cameron Mackintosh while William Nicholson will write the script.

The musical 'Les Miserables' is based on a the 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and follows the lives of several French characters - specifically ex-convict Jean Valjean as he struggles with redemption - over a seventeen-year period in the early nineteenth century.

Discussing his next project recently, the 38 year old confessed he was looking to more historical and period pieces following the success of 'The King's Speech.

He said: "I'm certainly on the lookout for something like that."