Wes Anderson is all set to enchant us this September as the celebrated director unveils four Roald Dahl short film adaptations exclusively on Netflix.
Anderson’s fascination with Dahl’s works dates back to his childhood, and he’s been harbouring the desire to adapt The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar for two decades.
The Benedict Cumberbatch feature, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, recently made its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. While we are looking forward to this short film, we have more Anderson-Dahl goodness to look forward to.
The four films—The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Ratcatcher, and Poison—are set to bring the magic of Dahl alive with a fresh perspective in Anderson’s signature aesthetic.
In an interview with Netflix, Anderson explained, “I am equally interested in the way Dahl tells the story as I am in the story itself. If I do it using his words, his descriptions, then maybe I know how to do it.” This led Anderson to adapt the stories as if they were plays. The cast recites Dahl’s words directly to the audience while simultaneously acting them out, creating a unique cinematic experience that promises to feel akin to watching a stage play.
The cast of these films features a rotating ensemble of talented actors, including familiar faces like Ralph Fiennes and Rupert Friend, who have previously collaborated with Anderson on projects like The Grand Budapest Hotel. Joining them are new faces, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Richard Ayoade, and Ben Kingsley.
Each short will be released a day after the other in the last week of September. This week-long event promises an unmissable opportunity for fans to immerse themselves in the whimsical world of Wes Anderson.
Which Roald Dahl stories Wes Anderson is adapting for Netflix?
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is about a wealthy man who stumbles upon a mysterious guru who can see without using his eyes. Sugar wants to master this art to excel at gambling, but it eventually leads to a transformative journey.
The cast plays dual roles with Fiennes (Roald Dahl, Policeman), Cumberbatch (Henry Sugar, Max Engelman), Patel (Dr. Chatterjee, John Winston), Kingsley (Imdad Khan, Croupier), and Ayoade (Dr. Marshall, Yogi)
Runtime: 39 minutes
Release date: Wednesday, September 27th, 2023
The Swan
The Swan is a twisted young adult short story that follows a brilliant boy named Peter Watson, who is tormented by two school bullies.
This short will feature Friend as the Narrator, Fiennes as Dahl, and Asa Jennings as Peter Watson.
Runtime: 17 minutes
Release date: Thursday, September 28th, 2023
The Ratcatcher
A short story from the collection Someone Like You, The Ratcatcher is one of Dahl’s darker forays into the human mind. The story follows a professional rodent exterminator and the lengths he will go to get rid of the pests.
This short stars Ayoade (Editor/Reporter), Fiennes (Rat Man), and Friend (Claud).
Runtime: 17 minutes
Release date: Friday, September 29th, 2023
Poison
It is a well-known Dahl short story that is also a masterclass of building suspense and tension. It is about a man who discovers a poisonous krait snake asleep in his bed.
This short features Patel (Woods), Cumberbatch (Harry), Fiennes (Roald Dahl), and Kingsley (Dr. Ganderbai).
Runtime: 17 minutes
Release date: Saturday, September 30th, 2023