Steven Spielberg is currently preparing for the release of his adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved 1982 novel The BFG. It’s a wonderful children’s story, which the director is by no means a stranger to doing throughout his diverse career. While he has done two period dramas in a row, Spielberg has recently established a busy upcoming schedule that may bring him back to his earlier days of fantasy and science-fiction. And hopefully The BFG will be a solid launching point for the next phase of his work. In anticipation of the film hitting theaters this Friday, Disney has released a few new clips that give us a delightful look into Spielberg’s newest creation.
Dahl’s novel tells the story about a young girl who happens upon the so-called “Big Friendly Giant” one night. She goes off with him into his own magical world that’s filled with both friendly and dangerous creatures. Like Spielberg’s 2011 film The Adventures of Tintin, the film will also be using amazing motion-capture and CGI technology to animate the world. One of the clearest examples of its beauty is the design of the titular character, played by Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies). The new clips showcase the intricate detail in the facial expressions and body movements of Rylance’s performance. It’s amazing to watch, not to mention the many other giants that pop up in the footage that are as equally dazzling.
Besides bringing this classic tale to the big screen, this film is also pretty special for a sad reason. Shortly after production was completed on the film, The BFG screenwriter Melissa Mathison passed away. This was a reunion for Spielberg and Mathison, with her having written E.T. back in the early 1980s. There’s definitely been a lot of heart put into this film, and that seems to show in every shot of what we have seen so far. With its release coming soon, check out the new clips below.
The BFG opens on July 1, 2016.