Steven Spielberg to Adapt Roald Dahl’s The BFG
Steven Spielberg rarely has a lack of projects in front of him to direct, and in the year since Lincoln walked away with two Oscars he’s bounced from a few different projects – he was originally to helm American Sniper, but walked away from the project (Clint Eastwood now will direct with Bradley Cooper in the lead); Robopocalypse, an adaptation of Daniel H. Wilson’s popular science fiction novel, seemed to be his next film until that, for now, is on the back-burner. And a blockbuster project long gestating under his development, Interstellar, ended up being handed off to Christopher Nolan.
But a whole other article could be about Spielberg’s gestating and abandoned movies. Here’s what is now known for his upcoming slate: two new films – one is an untitled CIA thriller starring Tom Hanks as an attorney recruited during the Cold War, and this looks to be the next film he will likely shoot in December for Dreamworks. But after that, it has been confirmed he will helm an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book The BFG for Dreamworks. Ironically as well this was to be directed by John Madden – he is stepping aside to helm The Bext Exotic Marigold Hotel 2 (according to Variety), though he’ll stay on as a producer.
The story, which as scripted will re-team Spielberg with his E.T. writer Melissa Matheson for the first time since that film, is about a little girl who gets swept away by a giant man called ‘The BFG’ (or ‘Big Friendly Giant) to a magical world. But the BFG is the nice giant man – there are also other giant men, who eat people, and it’s up to her and her giant friend to stop them from eating the children of England.
I still remember this as being among the highlights of my childhood as a reader, a book that, with its giant man with even larger ears and quirky language (the book is filled with words like ‘flush-bunking” and ‘swollump’) was strange, absorbing, funny and terrifying, all of the things that make Dahl’s films unique but with that touch of heart that melds all of the absurdist-horror elements together. Spielberg would appear to be an ideal director for this material set from the point of view of a child, and it also being a film that requires some spectacular visual effects (previously it was an animated movie for TV).
“’The BFG’ has enchanted families and their children for more than three decades. We are honored that the Roald Dahl estate has entrusted us with this classic story,” said Spielberg in a statement. He will helm The BFG early next year, with a release aimed for 2016.
