Blu-Ray Review: Disney's The BFG Brings Spielberg Magic Home

Over the years, Steven Spielberg has brought us some of the most memorable family films of all-time, including E.T., Hook, An American Tail and The Land Before Time. With all of these exceptional family films and many more under his belt it is hard to believe that The BFG marks his first movie with Disney. And what a movie it is! Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, The BFG is one of the most heartwarming and visually stunning films of the year.

Roald Dahl has been responsible for some of the most imaginative books for children from The BFG to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and more. His detailed descriptions help children to visualize the amazing worlds that he creates.

The movies opens in London where we meet Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), a little girl who lives in an orphanage. She suffers from insomnia and spends her time sneaking around the orphanage. One night a giant takes her into the Land of Giants. We soon discover this is The Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) and together with Sophie, the pair end up on an epic adventure. Sophie helps The BFG come up with a plan to get rid of an evil band of giants.

The relationship between Sophie and The BFG is very much a grandfather to granddaughter. The chemistry between the Barnhill and Rylance feels genuine. The bond will melt your heart as the film pulls on all the heartstrings from tears to laughter.

The reason why I love movies is to transport me to worlds that I could never imagine or time periods that I could never experience. The BFG succeeds in taking me to a world where magic exists and fairy-tale endings do come true.

If you can, see it in glorious Dolby Vision and hear it in Dolby Atmos. The colors in Dolby Vision explode off the screen and the 3D is stunning! Then add Dolby Atmos to create an audio environment that not only surrounds you but encompasses you as well!

Audio:

The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 sound mix that accompanies the feature is fantastic. Another solid effort from Disney. The dialogue and music is crystal clear and filling the room with the sounds of giant waterfalls and military helicopters, not to mention the unconventional noises made by whizzpoppers, ringbellers, phizwizzards and trogglehumpers.

Video:

The BFG's 1080p transfer is another outstanding effort from Disney. You will be floored with the level of onscreen detail to be found in both the real-life actors and the fully CG giants. Clothing and environments are all highly detailed. The rich color palette of the movie comes to life in the lush green grass of Giant Country and the multicolored spheres of dancing light that zig and zag against the backdrop of a night sky.

Extras:

• Bringing The BFG To Life (27:09) - A making-of documentary that touches on the life of Roald Dahl, Melissa Mathison's script, the casting of Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill, the sets, props and costumes, and the motion capture technology used to bring the BFG and his world to life.
• The Big Friendly Giant And Me (1:55) - An animated short, as told from the point-of-view of a little boy befriended by the BFG.
• Gobblefunk: The Wonderful Words Of The BFG (3:16) - A piece about Gobblefunk, otherwise known as the official language of the BFG.
• Giants 101 (4:57) - A look at the film's nine other giants, the actors who play them, and the work of movement coach Terry Notary.
• Melissa Mathison: A Tribute (5:54) - The filmmakers fondly remember screenwriter Melissa Mathison, who passed away shortly after the film's production.

Disney's The BFG on Digital HD, Blu-ray and Disney Movies Anywhere Dec. 6, 2016

STEVEN SPIELBERG’S IMAGINATION AND DISNEY MAGIC COME TOGETHER

TO BRING ROALD DAHL’S BELOVED CLASSIC TO LIFE

“The BFG” comes to Digital HD, Blu-ray™ and Disney Movies Anywhere Dec. 6

This magical tale of an extraordinary friendship loaded with exciting extras

will brighten the holidays for the whole family!

BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 23, 2016 — This month, the world celebrates the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl, beloved children’s author of family favorites like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and Dahl’s personal favorite, “The BFG,” as well as World Dream Day, an annual event honoring “the dreamer, visionary and innovator in all of us.” It seems a fitting time to announce the in-home release of “The BFG,” Disney’s fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, on Dec. 6 on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand.

As dreamers around the globe gear up for Sunday’s World Dream Day, an annual holiday honoring “the dreamer, visionary and innovator in all of us,” it seems a fitting time to announce the in-home release of “The BFG,” Disney’s fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and featuring a dream-collecting Big Friendly Giant. This heartwarming tale for the whole family arrives home for the holidays on Dec. 6 on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand.

“The BFG” unites the talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – to bring to life the classic tale of a courageous little girl named Sophie (newcomer Ruby Barnhill) and a gentle and charming Big Friendly Giant (Oscar®-winner Mark Rylance) who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. Spielberg employs a new, hybrid style of filmmaking blending live-action and performance-capture techniques, resulting in genuine, heartfelt performances and super-photorealistic animation.

Families and fans will be swept away by this spectacular adventure and delight in extensive bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “The BFG” hosted by Ruby Barnhill and featuring Steven Spielberg; a charming, all-new short; a fun and whimsical tutorial on the Big Friendly Giant’s unique language of Gobblefunk; a touching tribute to screenwriter Melissa Mathison (“E.T. the Extraterrestrial,” “The Black Stallion”); and more.

Spielberg’s directorial debut with The Walt Disney Studios was a labor of love, as he’s been a fan of Dahl’s for years. In fact, he read “The BFG” to his own children when they were younger. According to 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.” “The BFG” is a Golden Phizzwizard* come true for Spielberg, Dahl fans and audiences around the world.

Bonus features include**:

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL HD:

• Bringing “The BFG” to Life – Ruby Barnhill (Sophie) hosts a phizz-whizzing journey through the making of “The BFG.” This behind-the-scenes documentary details the film’s progression through interviews with Roald Dahl’s daughter Lucy Dahl, screenwriter Melissa Mathison, executive producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Kristie Macosko Krieger, and numerous members of the talented cast and crew.     
• The Big Friendly Giant and Me – Sophie wasn’t the first “bean” in Giant Country—many illustrations were created as if drawn by a little boy who was there long before Sophie.  This charming, in-world short will bring the drawings to life with animation and narration, recounting the friendship and the dreams shared between the boy and the Big Friendly Giant.
• Gobblefunk:  The Wonderful Words of The BFG – A whoopsey-splunkers tutorial on the meaning of the gloriumptious gobblefunk in “The BFG.” 
• Giants 101 – Jemaine Clement (Fleshlumpeater) and Bill Hader (Bloodbottler) introduce us to the loathsome giants in “The BFG,” along with movement choreographer/motion capture performer Terry Notary, who collaborated with the actors and Director Steven Spielberg prior to filming to develop their movements and character traits. 
• Melissa Mathison: A Tribute – An homage to Melissa Mathison, the extraordinary, Oscar®-nominated screenwriter of “The BFG” and “E.T.,” whose talent and heart were as immense as the giants in “The BFG.”

DIGITAL/VOD:

• John Williams: Scoring A Dream – A journey through the film’s concept art and memorable moments, interwoven with the sights and sounds of legendary composer John William’s scoring session.

DVD:

• Gobblefunk:  The Wonderful Words of The BFG and Melissa Mathison: A Tribute

Disney and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Walden Media, present the fantasy adventure film “The BFG,” the first-ever motion picture adaptation of Roald Dahl’s resonant tale of childhood, the magic of dreams and the extraordinary friendship between a young girl and a big friendly giant. Directed by three-time Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, the film reunites the director with his Oscar®-nominated collaborator on “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” Melissa Mathison, who adapted the children’s author’s timeless adventure for the big screen. “The BFG” is produced by Spielberg, p.g.a., Frank Marshall, p.g.a., and Sam Mercer, p.g.a., with Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Michael Siegel serving as executive producers. 

The film stars three-time Tony Award®, two-time Olivier Award and Oscar® winner Mark Rylance as the Big Friendly Giant; newcomer Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, the orphan who befriends him and is swept into a world of rampaging giants; Penelope Wilton as The Queen; Jemaine Clement as Fleshlumpeater, the most fearsome giant from Giant Country; Rebecca Hall as Mary, The Queen’s handmaid; Rafe Spall as Mr. Tibbs, The Queen’s butler; and Bill Hader as Bloodbottler, another unruly giant from Giant Country.

The creative team is comprised of some of Spielberg’s longtime collaborators, including: two-time Oscar®-winning director of photography Janusz Kaminski; two-time Oscar-winning production designer Rick Carter; three time Oscar-winning editor Michael Kahn, A.C.E.; and Oscar-nominated costume designer Joanna Johnston, with legendary five-time Oscar winner John Williams composing his 24^th score for a Spielberg-directed film.

Joining them is two-time Oscar® winner Robert Stromberg as production designer and four-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri from Weta Digital, the visual effects company founded by Peter Jackson, as senior visual effects supervisor.

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:

Product SKUs: Digital HD/SD, Blu-ray Superset (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital Copy),

Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and Video On-Demand SD/HD

Feature Run Time: Approximately 117 minutes

Rating: PG in U.S., PG in CE, and G in CF 

Aspect Ratio: Blu-ray Feature Film = 1080p High Definition / Widescreen 2.39:1

DVD Feature Film = Widescreen 2.39:1

Audio: Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA & 2.0 Descriptive Audio,

Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

DVD = English, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks,

English 2.0 Descriptive Audio

Languages/Subtitles: Blu-ray = English SDH, Spanish and French

DVD = English SDH, Spanish and French

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: Facebook.com/TheBFGmovie

Website: Movies.Disney.com/The-BFG

Twitter: Twitter.com/BFGmovie

Website: Instagram.com/BFGmovie

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA): 

Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it easy to buy Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere. Viewers can enjoy their digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple mobile platforms by simply adding the free DMA app or channel to their devices, such as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android mobile phones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Xbox 360, and connecting to their DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, Microsoft Movies & TV and Fios by Verizon. DMA users can explore Disney’s library of over 450 digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, redeem Digital Movie codes found in eligible Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars product, and earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

ABOUT ABMLIN PARTNERS:

Amblin Partners is a content creation company formed by DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One (eOne). The company develops and produces films using the Amblin, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant banners and includes Amblin Television, a longtime leader in quality programming.

Disney's The BFG - Film Clips

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg –
finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. 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 like Bloodbottler (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 soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, 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. 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 the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (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. 

Disney's The BFG - “I Catch Dreams” Film Clip

Disney's The BFG - "The BFG Visits Buckingham Palace” Film Clip

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebfgmovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneystudios

Disney's The BFG - "Spielberg’s Giant Dream Come True" Featurette and More!

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg –
finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. 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 like Bloodbottler (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 soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, 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. 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 the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (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. 

Disney's The BFG - "Brave Sophie" Featurette

Disney's The BFG - "Disney Legacy" Featurette

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebfgmovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneystudios

The BFG is Pure Disney and Spielberg Magic

Over the years, Steven Spielberg has brought us some of the most memorable family films of all-time, including E.T., Hook, An American Tail and The Land Before Time. With all of these exceptional family films and many more under his belt it is hard to believe that The BFG marks his first movie with Disney. And what a movie it is! Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, The BFG is one of the most heartwarming and visually stunning films of the year.

Roald Dahl has been responsible for some of the most imaginative books for children from The BFG to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and more. His detailed descriptions help children to visualize the amazing worlds that he creates.

The movies opens in London where we meet Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), a little girl who lives in an orphanage. She suffers from insomnia and spends her time sneaking around the orphanage. One night a giant takes her into the Land of Giants. We soon discover this is The Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) and together with Sophie, the pair end up on an epic adventure. Sophie helps The BFG come up with a plan to get rid of an evil band of giants.

The relationship between Sophie and The BFG is very much a grandfather to granddaughter. The chemistry between the Barnhill and Rylance feels genuine. The bond will melt your heart as the film pulls on all the heartstrings from tears to laughter.

The reason why I love movies is to transport me to worlds that I could never imagine or time periods that I could never experience. The BFG succeeds in taking me to a world where magic exists and fairy-tale endings do come true.

If you can, see it in glorious Dolby Vision and hear it in Dolby Atmos. The colors in Dolby Vision explode off the screen and the 3D is stunning! Then add Dolby Atmos to create an audio environment that not only surrounds you but encompasses you as well!

The BFG opens in theaters July 1st.

Disney's The BFG - Hollywood Premiere Photos

A giant sized crowd of fans  lined the streets of Hollywood Boulevard to watch the stars of "The BFG," directed by Steven Spielberg, arrive at the El Capitan Theatre for the film’s U.S. premiere, including Academy Award winner Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader and other celebrity guests. Disney’s “The BFG,” which premiered to one of the longest standing ovations at the recent Cannes Film Festival, is based on the beloved Roald Dahl book, it tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. “The BFG” opens in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that marks the 100^th anniversary of Dahl’s birth.

Disney's THE BFG - New Poster and Trailer

Check out the new trailer and poster for “The BFG.” The film, which is directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the best-selling book by Roald Dahl, hits theaters nationwide on July 1. 

"BFG is pure movie magic , a giant of an entertainment from a giant of film. It’s a real gem." - Pete Hammond, Deadline

Steven Spielberg in Cannes for THE BFG

Steven Spielberg and the cast of “The BFG” have arrived in Cannes for the film’s World Premiere at a gala screening at the Palais des Festivals on Saturday, May 14. “The BFG,” which is directed by Spielberg and based on the best-selling book by Roald Dahl, opens in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016. 

Check out Ruby Barnhill as she tries to stump director, Steven Spielberg, with The Big Fact Game! 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebfgmovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneystudios

DISNEY'S "THE BFG" TO RECEIVE GALA SCREENING AT THE 2016 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

DISNEY’S “THE BFG” TO RECEIVE GALA SCREENING 

AT THE 2016 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

BURBANK, Calif. (April 14, 2016) – Disney’s “The BFG” is to receive a Gala screening at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The fantasy-adventure film will screen out of competition at the Palais des Festivals as part of this year's festival, which runs May 11-22, ahead of its July 1, 2016 release date.

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally come together to bring “The BFG” to life. Directed by the three-time Academy Award® winner from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison based on the best-selling book by Dahl, “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country and stars three-time Tony Award®, two-time Olivier Award and Oscar® winner Mark Rylance, newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall and Bill 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. 

The Disney/Amblin/Reliance production in association with Walden Media will open in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that coincides with the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl¹s birth. The Walt Disney Company is distributing the film in the U.S. and select international territories while Mister Smith Entertainment will oversee distribution in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.  Amblin’s partner, Reliance, will distribute the film in India.

First published in 1982, “The BFG” was Roald Dahl’s own favorite of his stories. Today, the book is published in 41 foreign languages, including Vietnamese, Korean, Ukrainian, Indonesian, Albanian, Estonian, Hebrew and Welsh. “The BFG” is the latest Dahl title to be adapted for stage and screen, following major films, including “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), “James and the Giant Peach” (1996), “Matilda” (1996), “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009). 

Spielberg’s affiliation with the Cannes Film Festival dates back to 1974 when “Sugarland Express” was screened and won the festival’s best screenplay award. Since then the director has had numerous films screen at the festival, including “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” which was the closing night film in 1982. In 2013, Spielberg served as the festival’s jury president.

The 69^th Annual Cannes Film Festival will take place May 11-22, 2016.

About Walt Disney Studios: 

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which 

live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

About Amblin Entertainment:

Amblin Entertainment is a production label of Amblin Partners, a content creation company formed by Steven Spielberg, the former DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One (eOne). The company develops and produces films using the Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant banners and includes Amblin Television, a longtime leader in quality programming. The company’s first film, “Bridge of Spies,” was released to critical acclaim in October 2015.  Other projects in various stages of production include: “The Light Between Oceans,” scheduled for release by Disney in 2016; “The Girl on the Train,” scheduled for release in October 2016; “Office Christmas Party,” scheduled for release in December 2016; “A Dog’s Purpose,” scheduled for release in January 2017; “Ghost in the Shell,” scheduled for release in March 2017; “Thank You For Your Service,” scheduled for release in 2017; and “Ready Player One,” scheduled for release in March 2018.  Upcoming shows from Amblin TV include “All the Way,” an HBO movie directed by Jay Roach and starring Bryan Cranston; and “American Gothic,” a summer series that will air on CBS.

Amblin Entertainment can be found at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmblinEntertainment

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmblinEnt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amblin/

Disney's The BFG - Official Trailer

Disney's The BFG comes to theaters July 1, 2016!

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg –
finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. 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 like Bloodbottler (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 soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, 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. 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 the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (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. 

DISNEY, AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT in association with WALDEN MEDIA

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebfgmovie

Follow us on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneystudios     

Disney unveils first poster for The BFG, directed by Steven Spielberg

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 like Bloodbottler (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 soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, 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. 

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. 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.” Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (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® winner Steven Spielberg (“Bridge of Spies,” “Schindler’s List,” ”Saving Private Ryan”) from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Black Stallion”) based on the best-selling novel by Roald Dahl, “The BFG” stars three-time Tony Award® and two-time Olivier Award winner Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies,” “Wolf Hall”), newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Downton Abbey”), Jemaine Clement (“Rio 2,” “The Flight of the Conchords”), Rebecca Hall (“The Gift,” “Iron Man 3”), Rafe Spall (“The Big Short,” “Prometheus”) and Bill Hader (“Inside Out,” “Trainwreck”). The film is produced by Spielberg, Frank Marshall (“Jurassic World,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) and Sam Mercer (“Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Sixth Sense”) with Kathleen Kennedy (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Lincoln”), John Madden (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Shakespeare in Love”), Kristie Macosko Krieger (“Bridge of Spies,” “Lincoln”), Michael Siegel (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Rise of the Guardians”), Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov serving as executive producers. 

Roald Dahl’s “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant) was first published in 1982 and has been enchanting readers of all ages ever since. 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. Originally created as a bedtime story, “The BFG” was Dahl’s own favorite of all his stories. “It was very important for us to be loyal to the language,” says Spielberg, “and the great writer Melissa Mathison, who also wrote ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,’ wrote ‘The BFG.’”  

“The BFG” opens in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that marks the 100^th anniversary of Dahl’s birth.

Steven Spielberg unveils first teaser for Disney's THE BFG

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg –
finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. 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 like Bloodbottler (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 soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, 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. 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 the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (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. 



Below is a photo of WALT DISNEY and ROALD DAHL, two of the world’s greatest storytellers, in Hollywood in 1942.

Steven Spielberg Directs Roald Dahl's "The BFG" for Disney

DISNEY JOINS “THE BFG”

Steven Spielberg-Directed Roald Dahl Adaptation Filming In Vancouver

Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Penelope Wilton and others join cast

As production gets underway in Vancouver, The Walt Disney Studios announced it will co-produce and co-finance Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG.” This marks the three-time Academy Award winner’s first time directing a Disney-branded movie.

  

Previously announced cast include three-time Tony Award winner Mark Rylance who will play the titular “Big Friendly Giant” and newcomer Ruby Barnhill as Sophie.  They are now joined by Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement, Michael David Adamthwaite, Daniel Bacon, Chris Gibbs, Adam Godley, Jonathan Holmes, Paul Moniz de Sa and Olafur Olaffson, all cast as giants. Buckingham Palace has also found its residents with Penelope Wilton being cast as The Queen and Rebecca Hall as Mary, the Queen’s maid. 

"In more than 40 years of making movies, I have been on the producing end of a number of films for The Walt Disney Company, but never as a director," said Steven Spielberg.  "It is a special joy to be in the director's chair as we start 'The BFG,' alongside my long-time friends and film collaborators Kathy Kennedy, who introduced me to this project, Frank Marshall and Melissa Mathison.  Together with them and Disney, there are many reasons why I am so excited about this joint venture."

“With Steven Spielberg at the helm, ‘The BFG’ will undoubtedly capture the minds of children and adults alike – as Roald Dahl’s original stories and many of Steven’s own films have done for decades,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “The team at Disney has tremendous respect for the filmmakers, and we’re thrilled to join with them to make what will be a spectacular picture.”

“This partnership speaks to the spirit of storytelling and the kinds of movies that we make here,” said Michael Wright, CEO of DreamWorks Studios. “Over the years, we have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration, and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with Disney in this expanded capacity on ‘The BFG.’”

“The BFG” is the exciting tale of a young London girl and the mysterious Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.  Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant) was published in 1982 and has been enchanting readers of all ages ever since.  Dahl’s books, which also include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” are currently available in 58 languages and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide.

  

Steven Spielberg will direct the film adaptation based on a script by Melissa Mathison, who last teamed with Spielberg on “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”  Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Sam Mercer will produce while Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden, Michael Siegel and Kristie Macosko Krieger are on board as executive producers.  Adam Somner is a co-producer.  The Disney/Amblin/Reliance production in association with Walden Media will open in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that coincides with the 100thanniversary of Roald Dahl’s birth.  The Walt Disney Studios is distributing the film in the U.S. and several international territories while Mister Smith Entertainment will oversee distribution in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Reliance will distribute the film in India.

Disney and Walden Media previously produced “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” and “Bridge to Terabithia” together.