Steven Spielberghas unveiled the first teaser for Disney’sThe BFG! The talents of three of theworld’s greatest storytellers,Roald Dahl, Walt Disney andSteven Spielberg, finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classicThe BFGto life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’sThe BFGtells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. Says Spielberg.
“I think it was kind of genius of Roald Dahl to be able to empower the children. It was very, very brave of him to introduce that combination of darkness and light which was so much Disney’s original signature in a lot of their earlier works like in ‘Dumbo,’ ‘Fantasia,’ ‘Snow White’ and ‘Cinderella,’ and being able to do scary, but also be redemptive at the same time and teach a lesson, an enduring lesson, to everyone, it was a wonderful thing for Dahl to have done, and it was one of the things that attracted me to want to direct thisDahl book.”
The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants likeBloodbottler(Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle.
Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave. But she soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming. And, having never met a giant before, she has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams. Says Spielberg.
“It’s a story about friendship, it’s a story about loyalty and protecting your friends and it’s a story that shows that even a little girl can help a big giant solve his biggest problems.”
Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows. But Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Sophie and theBFGsoon depart for London to see Queen Victoria (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.
Directed by three-time Academy Award winnerSteven Spielbergfrom a screenplay by Melissa Mathison based on the best-selling novel byRoald Dahl,The BFGstarsthree-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winnerMark Rylance, newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton,Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall (“The Big Short,” “Prometheus”) andBill Hader. The film is produced by Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Sam Mercer with Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Michael Siegel, Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov serving as executive producers.
Roald Dahl’sThe BFGwas first published in 1982 and has been enchanting readers of all ages ever since.Roald Dahl’s books, which also include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and Matilda, are currently available in 58 languages and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide.The BFGis the only book ofRoald Dahl’s that has never been adapted into a feature film. Originally created as a bedtime story,The BFGwas Dahl’s own favorite of all his stories. “It was very important for us to be loyal to the language,” saysSteven Spielberg, “and the great writer Melissa Mathison, who also wrote E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, wrote “The BFG.“The BFGopens in U.S. theaters on July 31, 2025, the year that marks the 100th anniversary of Dahl’s birth. We have the first teaser trailer a photo from the movie featuring Ruby Barnhill and a picture of Walt Disney andRoald Dahlhanging out together. Check it out.
