The BFG -favourite Roald Dahl’s book of author of Beatrice and the
London Bus which has also inspired her about the friendship between Beatrice
and her mentor the London Bus has been adapted into a movie with Mark
Rylance as the BFG by Steven Spielberg.
PRESS RELEASE
2016 will see a major movie adaptation of Roald Dahl’s iconic story THE BFG, directed by Steven Spielberg. “THE BFG has enchanted families and their children for more than three decades,” said Spielberg in a statement. “We are honoured that the Roald Dahl estate has entrusted us with this classic story.” The movie will be written by Melissa Mathison, who last teamed up with Spielberg on “E.T.”. It will be produced for DreamWorks by Frank Marshall with Michael Siegel and John Madden as executive producers. Production will begin in early 2015, with a planned release in 2016 – the year which marks the centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth.” Luke Kelly, Roald Dahl’s grandson and incoming Managing Director of the Literary Estate, says: “Roald Dahl’s family and literary estate are both delighted that Steven Spielberg will bring his inventive genius to directing the story of the BFG and that one of Roald’s most beloved stories and characters will be brought to the screen in 2016 – a year when we will be celebrating Roald Dahl’s Centenary!” THE BFG was first published in 1982, though the character of the dream-blowing giant first appeared in print seven years earlier in Dahl’s novel DANNY, THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD (1975). The B(ig) F(riendly) G(iant) is one of Roald Dahl’s most loveable creations. He’s a friendly, dream-blowing giant with enormous ears – enabling him to hear “all the secret whisperings of the world” – and a passion for “snozzcumbers”. “frobscottle” and “whizzpopping”. When the BFG snatches Sophie from her orphanage, she is in for the adventure of her young life, which ranges from encounters with fiercer man-eating giants to breakfast with the Queen of England. THE BFG was Roald’s own favourite amongst his own books, according to his widow Felicity Dahl. The book is also Sir Quentin Blake’s favourite of his many collaborations with Roald Dahl. When illustrating the tale, Blake struggled to find the right shoes for the BFG to wear – in the end, Roald sent him one of his own giant Norwegian sandals to inspire him. It did the trick and the sandal is now proudly on display at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, UK
