Who would’ve thought that one of the more divisive movies early on at the Cannes Film Festival would be Steven Spielberg‘s “The BFG“? Indeed, word from the Croisette yesterday appeared to be mixed; however, our own critic thought the picture was winner, calling it “a heart-meltingly magical ride.” But in any event, Disney isn’t missing a marketing opportunity, dropping a new trailer while the talk is still fresh from the south of France.
Mark Rylance and newcomer Ruby Barnhill lead the adaptation of Roald Dahl‘s beloved book, which explores the friendship between a young orphan and the titular creature, as she tries to rescue him from his mean siblings. Here’s the official synopsis:
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.
“The BFG” opens on July 1st. Watch the new trailer above.
