The BFG (2016 film)

The BFG

Teaser poster
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Steven Spielberg
Frank Marshall
Sam Mercer
Screenplay by Melissa Mathison
Based on The BFG 
by Roald Dahl
Starring Mark Rylance
Ruby Barnhill
Penelope Wilton
Rebecca Hall
Bill Hader
Jemaine Clement
Music by John Williams
Cinematography Janusz Kamiński
Edited by Michael Kahn
Production
company
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release dates
  • July 1, 2016 (2016-07-01) (United States)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $130 million

The BFG is an upcoming American fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. "BFG" stands for "Big Friendly Giant". The film stars Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader and Jemaine Clement. Principal photography on the film began on March 23, 2015. The film will be co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Walden Media, and is scheduled to be released in the Disney Digital 3-D and RealD 3D formats on July 1, 2016.

Plot

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) befriends a giant named the BFG (Mark Rylance) as they set out on an adventure to capture the evil, man-eating giants who have been invading the human world.

Cast

Production

Producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy began development for a big budget adaptation of The BFG in 1991, and set the project up with Paramount Pictures.[5] Husband and wife screenwriters Robin Swicord and Nicholas Kazan wrote a screenplay adaptation in 1998, with Robin Williams in mind for the title role.[6] By 2001, the script had been rewritten by Gwyn Lurie, which was greeted with positive feedback from the Dahl estate.[7]

In September 2011, DreamWorks announced that they had picked up the film rights to the book; Kennedy and Marshall are slated to produce, and screenwriter Melissa Mathison will adapt the story.[8] In April 2014, it was announced that Steven Spielberg would direct the film, shooting in 2015 with DreamWorks eyeing a 2016 release.[9] John Madden had previously been slated to direct, but is now credited as an executive producer along with Michael Siegel.[10] Spielberg stated, "The BFG has enchanted families and their children for more than three decades. We are honoured that the Roald Dahl estate has entrusted us with this classic story."[11] In March 2015, Walden Media agreed to co-finance and co-produce the film.[12] Sam Mercer would also be producing the film.[4] In April 2015, Walt Disney Studios—which was already under agreement to distribute the film through its Touchstone Pictures banner—joined the production as a co-producer and co-financier, and switched the film from a Touchstone release to a Walt Disney Pictures release instead.[13] Consequently, The BFG is the first Disney-branded film directed by Spielberg; though he has previously produced several films for the studio.[14] Additionally, DreamWorks will not receive a marquee credit in the film nor marketing, and instead will be represented by Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment production company.[15]

Casting

On October 27, 2014, Mark Rylance was cast in the title role of the film.[1] Spielberg was quoted as saying of him that "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 honoured he has chosen The BFG as his next big screen performance."[16][17] Rylance performed the character through motion capture, a process by which he referred to as "liberating".[18] In the mid-November 2014, it was revealed that a ten-year-old student of Lower Peover School, Ruby Barnhill had auditioned for the film where she had to learn six pages of dialogue in preparation for a possible role as orphaned Sophie.[19] After a lengthy search on the role Sophie, on December 16, director cast 10-year-old British actress Ruby Barnhill for the role, on which Barnhill said, "I feel incredibly lucky and I'm so happy." Spielberg stated that they "have discovered a wonderful Sophie in Ruby Barnhill."[2] Bill Hader was set to star in the film for an unspecified role on March 27, 2015.[4] On April 13, 2015, more cast was announced, which included Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Jemaine Clement, Michael David Adamthwaite, Daniel Bacon, Chris Gibbs, Adam Godley, Jonathan Holmes, Paul Moniz de Sa, and Ólafur Ólafsson.[3]

Filming

Principal photography on the film began on March 23, 2015 in Vancouver[3][20] and concluded on June 12, 2015.[21] Weta Digital will work on the film's visual effects.[22]

Release

The BFG will be released on July 1, 2016,[23] and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, except for territories in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where the film's distribution rights will be sold by Mister Smith Entertainment to independent distributors.[24][13] DreamWorks' financial partner, Reliance Entertainment will release the film in India. Entertainment One will release the film on July 22, 2016 in the UK.[25] Medusa Film will release the movie in Italy through Leone Film Group.[26][27]

Notes

  1. ^ DreamWorks Pictures remains as one of the film's production companies, despite not receiving a marquee credit nor the film's marketing bearing the studio's logo.[15][28]

References

  1. 1 2 Fleming Jr, Mike (October 27, 2014). "Mark Rylance To Play ‘The BFG’ In Roald Dahl Adaptation By Steven Spielberg". deadline.com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Steven Spielberg Casts 10-Year-Old Ruby Barnhill as Lead in ‘The BFG’". thewrap.com. December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Fleming Jr, Mike (April 13, 2015). "Disney Signs On To Co-Fi Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’". Deadline.com. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Ge, Linda (March 27, 2015). "Bill Hader Joining Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’". thewrap.com. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  5. ↑ Glenn Whipp (February 17, 2009). "Frank Marshall focuses on practical". Variety. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  6. ↑ Staff (October 22, 1998). "‘Husband’ vows renewed; doc on saint set". Variety. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  7. ↑ Dana Harris (February 27, 2002). "Lurie back to book for ‘Chocolate’ pic". Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ Weinstein, Joshua L. (September 24, 2011). "DreamWorks Is Still Buying – Picks Up Roald Dahl's 'BFG' (Exclusive)". Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  9. ↑ Bullock, Paul (April 26, 2014). "Steven Spielberg to direct The BFG". Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ Kroll, Justin. "Steven Spielberg to Direct Roald Dahl's 'The BFG,' Will Shoot Tom Hanks Thriller First". Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Steven Spielberg to direct BFG film from Roald Dahl book". BBC News. Retrieved April 29, 2014
  12. ↑ "Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’ Takes Giant Step Forward As Walden Comes Aboard". Deadline. March 5, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Rainey, James. "Steven Spielberg Takes First Directing Turn With Walt Disney Studios". Variety. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  14. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (April 13, 2015). "Disney Joins Steven Spielberg’s 'BFG'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  15. 1 2 McClintock, Pamela (September 24, 2015). "Will Steven Spielberg Drop the DreamWorks Name?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Mark Rylance to be Spielberg's BFG". the Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Tatiana Siegel (27 October 2014). "Three-Time Tony Winner Mark Rylance Nabs Lead in Steven Spielberg's 'The BFG'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  18. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (February 3, 2016). "Meet Mark Rylance, the Oscar contender who's never himself unless he's someone else". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  19. ↑ Harris, Alan (November 17, 2014). "Crackley Hall pupil auditions for role in Steven Spielberg's new film". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  20. ↑ "On the Set for 3/23/15: Ryan Reynolds Starts Shooting 'Deadpool', Chloë Grace Moretz Begins 'November Criminal' & More". ssninsider.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  21. ↑ Bullock, Paul (June 13, 2015). "Frank Marshall tweets from last day of BFG shoot". fromdirectorstevenspielberg.tumblr.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  22. ↑ Ritman, Alex (June 22, 2015). "CineEurope: Steven Spielberg Talks 'BFG' Filming". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  23. ↑ McNary, Dave (June 16, 2014). "Tom Hanks-Steven Spielberg Cold War Thriller Set for Oct. 16, 2015". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  24. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (May 8, 2015). "David Garrett, Ralpho Borgos Hope to Take Mr. Smith Shingle to the Summit". Variety. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’ Primed for U.K. Release With eOne". Variety. July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  26. ↑ http://www.medusa.it/accordo-di-distribuzione-medusa-film-leone-group/
  27. ↑ http://leonefilmgroup.com/film/the-big-friendly-giant/
  28. ↑ Rainey, James (December 12, 2015). "Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks To Reboot with $200 Million From Participant and Universal Deal". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2015.

External links

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