As production gets underway in Vancouver, the legendary Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is teaming up with Walt Disney Studios for the first time to head Roald Dahl’s adaptation of ‘The BFG’ (Big Friendly Giant).
Disney announced on Monday it will co-produce and co-finance the movie. This marks the three-time Academy Award winner’s first time directing a Disney-branded movie, Comingsoon website reported.
Previously announced cast include three-time Tony Award winner Mark Rylance who will play the titular ‘Big Friendly Giant’ and newcomer Ruby Barnhill as Sophie. Buckingham Palace has also found its residents with Penelope Wilton being cast as The Queen and Rebecca Hall as Mary, the Queen’s maid.
“In more than 40 years of making movies, I have been on the producing end of a number of films for The Walt Disney Company, but never as a director,” said Spielberg.
“It is a special joy to be in the director’s chair as we start ‘The BFG’, alongside my long-time friends and film collaborators.”
“With Steven Spielberg at the helm, the film will undoubtedly capture the minds of children and adults alike - as Dahl’s original stories and many of Steven’s own films have done for decades,” said Alan Horn, Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios.
Based on Dahl’s 1982 novel, the children’s tale follows a young girl teaming up with the Queen of England and a benevolent giant to capture the evil giants who have been invading the human world.
The book has been enchanting readers of all ages ever since it was published. Dahl’s books, which also include ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘James and the Giant Peach’, ‘Matilda’ and ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’, are currently available in 58 languages and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide. They have also been made into popular movies.
Spielberg has directed over 50 movies including the Adventures of Tintin, Artificial Intelligence, Jurassic Park, and E.T. among many other famous titles.
The movie, which will be a mixture of live action and CGI animation, will open in the US theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that coincides with the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s birth.
