By Dickens - Billy Elliot is back!

He's best known as against-the-odds ballet dancer Billy Elliott, but now Jamie Bell is taking on an even more challenging role - as an orphan child whose mistreatment at the hands of evil elders leads to his tragic death.

The 16-year-old Bafta Award-winning actor will be playing Smike in the £7 million blockbuster version of the Dickens classic Nicholas Nickleby.

An illustrious British cast has been assembled for a big screen version of Dickens's novel. Queer As Folk's Charlie Hunnam takes the title role, while Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent is the evil Squeers and Tom Courtenay is Newman Noggs. Support also comes from Nathan Lane, Edward Fox, Christopher Plummer and Timothy Spall.

The movie - which was filmed on location in London - is out in the new year.

In the 1838 book, Smike is abandoned at Dotheboys Hall in the care of the Squeers. He is mistreated for years before being rescued by Nickleby and later dies from the treatment he received as a child. After his death it is discovered that he was Ralph Nickleby's son.