Steven Spielberg's film of Roald Dahl's The BFG has cast Mark Rylance in the title role...
Steven Spielberg, not for the first time in his career, is making more than one movie back to back right now. He's currently putting together his Cold War thriller, St James Place, which stars Tom Hanks (and boasts a screenplay written by the Coen brothers). And then, following that, he's tackling a live action adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved book, The BFG.
The BFG, short for Big Friendly Giant, of course, is scheduled to land in cinemas in July 2016. Production on the movie is set to start early next year, and Melissa Matheson, who penned E.T., has written the screenplay.
Now comes the news that we know who's going to be playing The BFG. And it's Mark Rylance.
Rylance is currently shooting St James Place with Spielberg, and thus far has earned the majority of his acting plaudits on stage. He has had notable film roles, in the likes of Anonymousand The Other Boleyn Girl, but The BFG aside, his highest profile film role is set to be the lead in the BBC's take on Wolf Hall.
Rylance's casting has been rubber-stamped by the Roald Dahl Literary Estate, and Spielberg said of the choice that “as I witnessed on stage, 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."
The US will get The BFGon July 1st 2016. We're set to get it later in the UK though, on July 22nd 2016. More news on the film as we hear it.
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