- Words Notion Staff
The American filmmaker’s adaptation of a Roald Dahl classic will be exclusively available to stream from 27th September.
Whether you rate the quirky world of Wes Anderson or not, no one can deny his work rate in 2023. Releasing the delightfully divisive Asteroid City in June, the illustrious American director has been unavoidable this year, and with good reason.
Last weekend, Wes Anderson was again the centre of attention at Venice Film Festival. Prior to screening The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes was given Cartier’s Glory to the Filmmaker award, humbly accepting the honour before unleashing his new 40-minute Roald Dahl adaptation.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the director has explored Roald Dahl’s extraordinary literature universe: his 2009 stop-motion interpretation of Fantastic Mr. Fox welcomed the tale into his whacky universe to critical acclaim. Now 14 years on, Wes’ obsession with the British author persists.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Rupert Friend and Richard Ayoade, The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar received a 4 minute standing ovation when screened at Venice Film Festival. Said to be a cosy and wholesome affair, the unusually short film is the first (of many to come) since Netflix acquired The Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021.
Whilst Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a collection of 7 stories published in 1977, Wes Anderson’s adaptation is said to include 3 of the 7 titles, following the fable of a rich man who sets out to master the skill of cheating at gambling. In a recent interview with IndieWire, the auteur explained that he’d wanted to adapt the book for years.
With Lindsay Dahl’s blessing, and Netflix’s greenlight, fans will finally be able to see the film in its finished form on 27th September.
