Ralph Fiennes attached to star in Netflix’s Matilda film
According to Deadline, two-time Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter films, The English Patient) has signed on to portray the role of Crunchem Hall Primary School’s evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull in Netflix’s newest film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel Matilda. The film will also be based on the popular UK and Broadway musical stage play titled Matilda The Musical which also featured the strict headmistress being played by a man.
In addition, Emmy winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Free Guy) is reportedly being eyed for the role of Miss Honey which was previously played by Embeth Davidtz (Army of Darkness, Schindler’s List) in 1996’s Mara Wilson-led film adaptation.
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First published in 1988, the novel revolves around the story of a 5-year-old named Matilda Wormwood, who likes to play pranks on her negligent parents such as secretly bleaching her father’s hair. Other than her parents, the cruel headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull is also her biggest nemesis. Although she seems like a mischievous girl, Matilda has promising and high intellectual abilities which are far different from other kids of the same age. The only adult who appreciates and understands her is her teacher, Ms. Jennifer Honey.
Pick up a copy of the book here!
Matilda was first adapted into film in 1996 by actor-director Danny DeVito with Mara Wilson taking on the titular role. Meanwhile, Dennis Kelly’s Matilda The Musical has been running in London since 2011 and had also had a successful Broadway run from 2013-2017. The Netflix film will also be helm the original show’s director Matthew Warchus.
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Roald Dahl stories have long inspired award-winning feature films and stage productions. But now, for the first time, Netflix in partnership with The Roald Dahl Story Company will bring together the highest quality creative, visual, and writing teams to extend the stories in this first-of-its-kind slate of premium animated event series and specials for audiences of all ages and for families to enjoy together. Netflix intends to remain faithful to the quintessential spirit and tone of Dahl while also building out an imaginative story universe that expands far beyond the pages of the books themselves.
The list of titles in the agreement between Netflix and the Roald Dahl Story Company includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, George’s Marvellous Medicine, Boy — Tales of Childhood, Going Solo, The Enormous Crocodile, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, Henry Sugar, Billy and the Minpins, The Magic Finger, Esio Trot, Dirty Beasts, and Rhyme Stew.
