Benedict Cumberbatch Ventures into Wes Anderson's Enchanting Story of Henry Sugar

Summary

Netflix releases the trailer for Wes Anderson's new Roald Dahl short film, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Ben Kingsley.

After its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the short film garnered praise from critics. As the first installment in a series of Anderson shorts based on Dahl stories for Netflix, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar will be followed by three more.

Netflix has released the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, a new Roald Dahl short film directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, and Richard Ayoade, the short premiered at the Venice Film Festival to rave reviews. It is the first of a series of Anderson shorts based on Dahl's stories, followed by The Swan, The Ratcatcher, and Poison. Ahead of its release later this month, the trailer offers a sneak peek at Anderson's latest Netflix movie. Watch it below:

The trailer features Cumberbatch as the protagonist Henry Sugar, an affluent individual who discovers a person with the extraordinary ability to see without the use of their eyes. Intrigued by this skill, Henry embarks on a mission to acquire it, intending to use it for dishonest purposes in gambling. As anticipated, the short film encompasses Anderson's distinctive style, characterized by its symmetrical framing and dry humor.

What To Know About The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

The release of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was remarkably fast, following Anderson's recent film, Asteroid City, which premiered in theaters this summer. However, the reason for this swift turnaround is that his latest work is a short film with a duration of only 39 minutes. Additionally, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is Anderson's second adaptation of a Roald Dahl story, coming after his acclaimed film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, released in 2009.

While the short film maintains Anderson's distinctive style, the director explores new collaborations in this project. It marks the first time that Anderson has worked with esteemed actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, and Sir Ben Kingsley, all of whom have been recognized with Oscar nominations. Additionally, renowned actors Rupert Friend from the Harry Potter series and Richard Ayoade from The IT Crowd also make their debut in Anderson's aesthetic.

Although The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is set to be released on Netflix on September 27, it has already premiered at the Venice Film Festival to critical acclaim. Critics have praised the film for its faithful yet innovative adaptation of Dahl's story. As of now, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar holds an impressive 95 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, potentially becoming Anderson's highest-rated film, surpassing his previous work Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Source: Netflix