Wes Anderson is set to direct a feature adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar for Netflix.
Following the acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company by Netflix in September of last year, the director has signed on to write and direct the project, which will star Benedict Cumberbatch as lead character Henry Sugar. Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, and Ben Kingsley will also appear in unspecified roles, according to Deadline.
The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar And Six More, published in 1977, is a collection of seven short stories aimed at slightly older children than Dahl’s other works.
The project is expected to consist of three “mini-films,” similar to the Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which is also available on Netflix. Production is set to begin later this month in London.
Anderson has adapted one of Dahl’s books for the second time, following 2009’s The Fantastic Mr. Fox. The stop-motion film received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, with a voice cast that included George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon, and Bill Murray.
Previously, Netflix announced plans for an expanded universe of animated and live-action film and television projects based on Dahl’s works. Taika Waititi’s series based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is among them.
Matilda: The Musical, starring Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, and Andrea Riseborough, is also in the works for the platform.
Anderson is currently working on Asteroid City, a romantic comedy-drama starring Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, and Bill Murray. The film’s release date has yet to be announced.