Rupert Friend And Richard Ayoade Join Wes Anderson’s Adaptation Of Roald Dahl’s ‘The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar’ At Netflix

EXCLUSIVE: Rupert Friend and Richard Ayoade are the latest additions to join the all-star cast of Netflix’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which Wes Anderson is writing and directing. Friend and Ayoade join the previously announced Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley.

Netflix had no comment on the project.

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The original book is made up of several short stories, and while it’s unknown which ones would be covered in this project, sources do say it would consist of three mini-films similar to the Coen brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Production is expected to start next week in London.

When Netflix acquired the full Dahl story catalog in September, it indicated it planned on the creation of a universe of projects across animated and live-action films and TV, publishing, games, immersive experiences, live theater and consumer products. The streamer already had a strong relationship with the Dahl estate and is currently developing a series from Taika Waititi and Phil Johnston based on the world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and an adaptation of Matilda the Musical with Sony and Working Title.

Best known for his role as CIA operative Peter Quinn on Showtime’s Homeland, Friend was most recently seen in Anderson’s The French Dispatch. He can be seen next in two of the more highly anticipated series of 2022: Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi and Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal. He is repped by Grandview and attorneys Steve Warren and Jennifer Gray.

For Ayoade, the project reunites him with Cumberbatch, as the two were just seen in Amazon’s The Electric Life of Louis Wain. He is repped by PBJ Management and WME.

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