Spielberg brings ‘The BFG’ to big screen

 

The first official trailer of “The BFG” was released Tuesday, introducing us to the main cast and detailing the adventure of a classic story.

Much to fans’ delight, Walt Disney Pictures began filming its upcoming film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg, of the popular children’s book “The BFG” on March 23. The story centers on Sophie, a young orphan girl played by Ruby Barnhill, who befriends a big friendly giant, also known as the BFG, played by Mark Rylance, after hearing her “lonely heart.”

The BFG takes Sophie to his homeland, Giant Country, where giants roam free. However, unlike the BFG, the other giants in the land don’t take kindly to humans, meaning Sophie’s presence must be kept secret.

The movie is based on the book “The BFG” by Roald Dahl, which was published in 1982 and previously had an animated movie adaptation in 1989.

“We are ecstatic at this choice (to cast Rylance),” said Luke Kelly, Dahl’s grandson and managing director of the Roald Dahl Literary Estate, in an interview with The Guardian in October.  “Mark is incredibly talented, one of the great British actors working today. I’ve had the privilege of seeing Mark perform, and the thought of watching him transform into ‘the only nice and jumbly Giant in Giant Country’ is, as the BFG himself might say, absolutely phizz-whizzing.”

Dahl created many classic children’s stories, including “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Each of these films has also had cinematic adaptations, which helped share Dahl’s works with children around the world.

“Walt Disney is probably the greatest grandfather of the magical combinations of darkness and light as a story teller,” Spielberg said in a video announcement posted to “The BFG” Facebook page. “And Roald Dahl, who wrote ‘The BFG,’ I think also shares that legacy with Walt Disney.

“His stories have enchanted, frightened, but always rescued us from our fears in the end, and I think ‘BFG’ is a perfect companion to a lot of the films that The Disney Company has made and probably a perfect companion to a couple of my pictures that I have made in the past.”

This will be Spielberg’s first time directing for Disney, and he said he takes pride after having grown up with Walt Disney and his legacy.

The movie will be released on July 1, and will be a treat for the adults who grew up with the story and the children just now introduced to it.