 Director David Yates (II) (qv) was set to direct this film, but  had to step aside from the directors chair to direct  _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)_ (qv) instead.  While Yates was attached, Paul Bettany (qv),  Jennifer Connelly (qv) and Jude Law (qv) were cast in the roles  of Charles, Julia and Sebastian respectively.