Matilda The Musical (film)

''Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical'', or simply ''Matilda the Musical'', is a 2022 musical fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Matthew Warchus from a screenplay written by Dennis Kelly. An adaptation of the 2011 stage musical of the same name by Warchus, Kelly, and Tim Minchin, which in turn is based on the 1988 novel '' Matilda'' by Roald Dahl, the film, co-produced by TriStar Pictures, Working Title Films, The Roald Dahl Story Company, and Netflix, is also the second film adaptation of the novel, after the 1996 film (also produced by TriStar). The film stars Alisha Weir as the title character, alongside Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, and Emma Thompson. It also features an ensemble cast that includes Rei Yamauchi Fulker, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Meesha Garbett, Winter Jarrett-Glasspool, Andrei Shen, Ashton Robertson, Lauren Alexandra, Carl Spencer, and Matt Henry. In the film, Matilda Wormwood (Weir), who is neglected and mistreated by her parents (Graham and Riseborough), develops psychokinetic abilities to deal with Miss Trunchbull (Thompson), the ruthless and cruel headmistress of Crunchem Hall School.

A film adaptation of ''Matilda the Musical'' was first announced in November 2013, with Warchus and Kelly reportedly attached to return as director and writer, respectively. In January 2020, the project was officially announced, and Warchus and Kelly's returns were confirmed, as well as Minchin, who revealed he was returning to write new songs for the film. Christopher Nightingale, who had written background music for the stage production, was also hired to return as composer of the film's incidental score. The cast was filled out between January and April 2021, including Weir, Lynch, Thompson, Vee, Graham, and Riseborough. Filming took place in Ireland beginning in May 2021.

''Matilda the Musical'' had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 5, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on November 25, by Sony Pictures Releasing International through TriStar Pictures, while in the United States, the film was released on December 9, also by TriStar, in addition to being available to stream on Netflix on December 25. The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for Thompson's performance.

Plot

While other parents adore their newborn children, Mrs Wormwood is distraught to learn she is pregnant and in labour. To Mr Wormwood's confusion, she gives birth to a girl, Matilda. Despite her parents' disdain, Matilda becomes a sweet child who loves reading and visits Mrs Phelps, the librarian, every day. Upon discovering that Matilda has not been properly schooled, Miss Jennifer Honey and an inspector visit the house to suggest Matilda be sent to Crunchem Hall. Angry at the fine, Mr Wormwood warns the severe headmistress, Miss Agatha Trunchbull, about Matilda. In retaliation, Matilda tricks him into dyeing his hair green.

On her way to school, Matilda tells Mrs Phelps her story about an escapologist who falls in love with and marries an acrobat. When the school bell rings, Matilda befriends another new girl, Lavender. In Miss Honey's class, Matilda solves a complex math equation on the board and confesses that she loves reading most. Miss Honey asks Miss Trunchbull to move Matilda to a more advanced class, but Miss Trunchbull refuses to let her be an exception to the rules. At home, when Matilda criticises her father, he furiously rips her library book apart and sends her to her room, so she glues his hat to his head. Matilda then leads the students in protecting Nigel from wrongful punishment, so Miss Trunchbull throws Amanda Thripp by her pigtails over the fence instead.

The next day, Miss Trunchbull falsely accuses Matilda of stealing a slice of her private chocolate cake, but Bruce Bogtrotter accidentally reveals he is the culprit. She forces him to eat the entire cake, saying he will be forgiven if he manages it. Bruce's success excites Matilda, Miss Honey, and the students, but infuriates Miss Trunchbull, and she condemns him to the Chokey regardless. Matilda attempts to defend Bruce as he is led away but is unsuccessful. Matilda continues the story for Mrs Phelps: the now-pregnant acrobat was forced to perform a dangerous stunt by her stepsister; she is horribly injured and dies after giving birth to a daughter. The escapologist forgives the stepsister and asks her to help him raise his daughter. The stepsister blames the daughter for her stepsister's death and she secretly bullies her. At home, Mr Wormwood locks Matilda in her room for criticizing how he sells cars dishonestly. She ends her story: when the escapologist discovers his daughter is mistreated, he never returns from confronting the stepsister.

The next day, Miss Trunchbull forces the children through challenging exercises to crush their rebelliousness. Lavender slips her pet newt Isaac into her drinking water, and Matilda furiously uses her newly discovered telekinesis to make Isaac embarrass Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey invites Matilda to her cottage, where Matilda learns that the escapologist and the acrobat were Miss Honey's parents, and the stepsister is Miss Trunchbull. Despite Miss Honey's warnings against confronting her, Matilda uses her powers to destroy the Chokey. At home, Matilda discovers that her father cheated the mafia and the family must flee to Spain. Shocked, Matilda cries in her room about never seeing Miss Honey, Mrs Phelps and Lavender again.

When the children return to school, Miss Trunchbull forces them to spell words correctly or be locked in a new Chokey. She has Lavender spell a made-up word, tricking the other children into rebelliously spelling words incorrectly on purpose so that she can lock them all into Chokeys. Matilda uses her telekinesis to pretend to be the vengeful ghost of Miss Honey's father, destroying the Chokeys and throwing Miss Trunchbull out of the school. Miss Honey tells her never to return and takes back the keys to her father's house. Afterwards, the students openly revolt and destroy Miss Trunchbull's statue. Mr and Mrs Wormwood come to take Matilda to Spain, but Miss Honey pleads with them to let Matilda stay with her. They reluctantly agree to let her adopt Matilda, and she uses her powers to unglue her father's hat.

With Miss Honey as the new headmistress, the children rename the school The Big Friendly School and build a new playground. Mrs Phelps is overjoyed that Matilda's true story has a happy ending and that she and Miss Honey live happily together.

Cast

Production

Development

On 15 November 2013, it was reported that Matthew Warchus and Dennis Kelly, director and writer, respectively, for the musical '' Matilda the Musical'', based on Roald Dahl's novel '' Matilda'', would return for a film adaptation. In June 2016, Tim Minchin confirmed that a film adaptation of ''Matilda the Musical'' was in development, which he said "will probably be made in the next 4 or 5 years". Mara Wilson, who previously starred in the 1996 film adaptation of the novel directed by Danny DeVito, said, "Maybe if they made it into a movie, I could have a cameo, but that's for them to decide." On 27 November 2018, Netflix was revealed to be adapting ''Matilda'' as an animated series, which would be part of an "animated event series" along with other Roald Dahl books such as '' The BFG'', '' The Twits'', and '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''. In November 2019, DeVito said that he "always wanted to" develop a sequel to ''Matilda'',Danny DeVito "Always Wanted" to Make Matilda 2, Shares Sequel Idea
ComicBook, November 25, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2022 adding that a potential sequel could star Matilda's own child, due to Wilson having aged in the time since. On 28 January 2020, it was reported that Working Title Films would produce, while Netflix will distribute via streaming, and Sony Pictures Releasing, who previously distributed the 1996 film through its TriStar Pictures banner, would handle theatrical and home video exclusively in the UK through the same banner. It was also confirmed that Warchus and Kelly were still involved with the project. Ellen Kane, who worked with choreographer Peter Darling on the stage production, would choreograph.

Casting

On 4 May 2020, it was reported that Ralph Fiennes was cast as Miss Trunchbull (the role has conventionally been portrayed on stage by male actors). However, later on 14 January 2021, it was announced that Emma Thompson would play the character instead, with additional confirmations that Lashana Lynch was cast as Miss Honey and Alisha Weir was cast in the title role, after giving what Warchus called "an unforgettable audition." Over 200 children were cast as the rest of the student body of Crunchem Hall. In April 2021 it was announced that Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough and Sindhu Vee would be joining the cast as Mr Wormwood, Mrs Wormwood, and Mrs Phelps, respectively.

Filming

Production was set to take place between August and December 2020 at Shepperton Studios, but was postponed to the spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film began principal photography on 3 May 2021 in Ireland.

Music

On 15 November 2013, Minchin, who previously wrote songs for the musical, was in talks to create new songs for the film, and in 2020, he was confirmed to do so. To be precise, shortly after the premiere on 5 October, it was revealed that Minchin wrote a new closing number. It was also announced that some of the songs from the stage version will not be included to keep a runtime of 117 minutes. Christopher Nightingale composed original incidental music to underscore the film, just as he did onstage.

The film's soundtrack album, containing both the songs and Nightingale's score, was released worldwide on 18 November 2022 digitally and 9 December 2022 on physical CD.

Musical numbers

* "Miracle" – Doctor, Mrs Wormwood, Mr Wormwood and Company
* "Naughty" – Matilda
* "School Song" – Hortensia, Prefects and Children
* "The Hammer" – Miss Trunchbull, Children and Miss Honey
* "Naughty" (reprise) † – Matilda
* "Chokey Chant" – Children
* "Bruce" – Children
* " When I Grow Up" – Children, Miss Honey and Matilda
* "I'm Here" – Matilda and The Escapologist
* "The Smell of Rebellion" – Miss Trunchbull
* "Quiet" – Matilda
* "My House" – Miss Honey and The Escapologist
* "Revolting Children" – Bruce, Hortensia and Children
* "Still Holding My Hand" – Miss Honey, Matilda, Children and Company


† ''Not on Original Motion Picture Soundtrack''

Release

''Matilda the Musical'' had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 5 October 2022, and was released in the United Kingdom by Sony Pictures Releasing through its TriStar Pictures banner, on 25 November 2022. The film received a theatrical release in the United States and internationally on 9 December 2022, before streaming on Netflix on Christmas Day 2022. Sony Pictures and Netflix will oversee home media releases in the UK, set for Summer 2023.

A sing-along edition of the film will be released across UK cinemas for a limited time starting on New Year's Day 2023; a preview screening was shown on 17 December 2022, in aid of MediCinema.

Box office

In its opening weekend, ''Matilda'' topped the UK box office with £4.1 million (''est.'' $5,009,820), beating the previous two weeks' holder '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever''.

Critical reception

Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Robbie Collin of ''The Telegraph'' wrote Thompson's portrayal of Trunchbull is "a deranged villain to remember". ''The Guardian'' critic Peter Bradshaw stated "the gleefully sly comedy kindred spirits of Thompson and Minchin come together to form the film's bedrock of naughtiness". Matt Patches of '' Polygon'' named the "Revolting Children" sequence as one of the best movie scenes of the year. Avinash Ramachandran of ''Cinema Express'' called it a "fantastical reboot of a beloved classic"

References

External links

*
*

{{Tim Minchin

2022 films
2022 comedy films
2022 fantasy films
2020s American films
2020s British films
2020s children's comedy films
2020s children's fantasy films
2020s English-language films
2020s fantasy comedy films
2020s musical comedy films
American children's comedy films
American children's fantasy films
American fantasy comedy films
American musical comedy films
British children's comedy films
British children's fantasy films
British fantasy comedy films
British musical comedy films
Comedy film remakes
Fantasy film remakes
Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Films about child abuse
Films about dysfunctional families
Films about friendship
Films about teacher–student relationships
Films about telekinesis
Films based on children's books
Films based on multiple works
Films based on musicals
Films based on works by Roald Dahl
Films shot at Shepperton Studios
Films shot in Ireland
Film
Musical film remakes
TriStar Pictures films
Films set in the 1980s