This film is not Anderson’s first time adapting a work by Dahl, has he had previously made the 2009 stop motion animated film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox. This new film will be the third collaboration between Friend and Anderson, as the two previously worked together on Anderson’s most recent film The French Dispatch and his upcoming film Asteroid City.
Friend is likely best known for his starring role on Homeland, for which he was nominated for an Emmy. He also has a supporting role as Stalin’s son in Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin. Soon he will be seen in the Star Wars Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a currently unknown role. This will be Ayoade‘s first appearance in a film by Anderson, but last year, Ayoade appeared in The Souvenir Part II, and worked with Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.
This adaptation of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More comes after Netflix acquired the exclusive adaptation rights to the entire Dahl catalog back in September of last year. Since the acquisition, the streaming service has been said to be developing a “unique universe” of shows and films based on some of Dahl’s most popular works, including a series from Taika Waititi and Phil Johnston that will take place in the world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and an adaptation of Matilda The Musical.
No official release date has been announced for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More.
via Collider