Casting has begun for Wes Anderson’s latest project, an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s whimsical short story collection, The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar And Six More, which is slated for a Netflix release.
In typical Anderson fashion, it will feature a star-studded ensemble cast, including acting legends Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes. This will mark Fiennes’ second Anderson film, as he also starred in 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Other cast members include Dr. Strange himself Benedict Cumberbatch, who will play the titular role of Henry Sugar, a man who steals a book that grants him mysterious powers. Anderson will both write and direct the adaptation.
Fresh from his role as a Sir Gawain in The Green Knight, Dev Patel has also signed on to the Netflix project, which is slated to begin filming this month. It is unclear if the project will be every short story in one or an anthology of short films.
This isn’t the first time Anderson has made a Dahl story into a feature project. Fantastic Mr. Fox was released to critical praise in 2009, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and more.
Netflix made headlines last fall for acquiring Roald Dahl’s story company and is expected to produce more adaptations of classic Dahl tales. This also marks the first collaboration between Wes Anderson and Netflix. No release date has been announced at this time.