Production is underway on Steven Spielberg's untitled Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks, but that's not stopping him from getting things ready for his planned adaptation of the Roald Dahl children's book The BFG. It's been announced British actor Mark Rylance will play the big friendly giant in the Spielberg film. Rylance is an Olivier, Tony and BAFTA award winning actor who is known for his theater work. Steven Spielberg and Mark Rylance are currently working together on the Cold War flick, and the actor has also had roles in films like ANONYMOUS, BLITZ and THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL.
Steven Spielberg on Mark Rylance:
As I witnessed on stage, Mark Rylance is a transformational actor. I am excited and thrilled that Mark will be making this journey with us to Giant Country. Everything about his career so far is about making the courageous choice and I’m honored he has chosen The BFG as his next big screen performance.
The Dahl estate also thinks Mark Rylance is going to be great as The BFG. From Dahl's grandson Luke Kelly, Managing Director of the Roald Dahl Literary Estate:
We are ecstatic at this choice. 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.
The BFG is my favorite Dahl book, and I've been saying for years it would make a fantastic live-action movie. I'm glad Spielberg decided to go with a lesser-known actor (at least over here in the states) for the title role in his film, and I can't wait to see who he casts as the nastier giants from the Roald Dahl book.
Filming for THE BFG is set to begin in early 2015, and it's scheduled to hit theaters on July 1, 2016.