Steven Spielberg’s The BFG goes Disney plus Bill Hader and more join cast

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

While Steven Spielberg has produced many a film for the big house of mouse, you may be surprised to know that he's never actually directed one for Disney. That all changes with THE BFG, as Walt Disney Studios has just announced that it will co-produce and co-finance Spielberg's latest endeavor. The story, based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name, will follow that of a young London girl (Ruby Barnhill) and a mysterious Giant (Mark Rylance) who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.

Steven Spielberg had this to say of the partnership:

In more than 40 years of making movies, I have been on the producing end of a number of films for The Walt Disney Company, but never as a director. It is a special joy to be in the director's chair as we start THE BFG, alongside my long-time friends and film collaborators Kathy Kennedy, who introduced me to this project, Frank Marshall and Melissa Mathison. Together with them and Disney, there are many reasons why I am so excited about this joint venture.

Disney also dropped a few names of folks who are joining the production in Vancouver. Among those names are Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Michael David Adamthwaite, Daniel Bacon, Chris Gibbs, Adam Godley, Jonathan Holmes, Paul Moniz de Sa and Olafur Olaffson, who will all portray giants. Meanwhile, London has found its royalty in Penelope Wilton as The Queen and Rebecca Hall as Mary, the Queen’s maid.

It's worth noting that this will be Spielberg's second collaboration with writer Melissa Mathison, who also penned a little flick by the name of E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. Mathison hasn't exactly been busy as of late, as her last screenplay was for Martin Scorsese's KUNDUN back in 1997. Still, it's hard not to have some expectation set, especially with maestro John Williams returning to Spielberg's side to compose the score.

THE BFG will be released on July 1, 2016.