Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley to feature in Wes Anderson's next

Wes Anderson's newest film, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's short story collection The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, has landed Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley on board. Anderson created the script and is directing the adaptation, which begins filming in the United Kingdom this month. The project is the first to be cancelled since Netflix bought the Roald Dahl Story Company in a blockbuster deal in the fall of 2021, giving the streaming service the rights to the author's complete repertoire. Although it is unclear how long Anderson has been working on the project, he is a fan of the author's work, having previously adapted Fantastic Mr. Fox as a stop-motion picture in 2009.

Netflix has been tight-lipped about the castings. The book, which was first published in 1982, contains both fiction and nonfiction. Henry Sugar, the protagonist of the title story, steals a book that teaches him how to see through objects and foretell the future. This sets in motion a series of mishaps that include eluding Mafia thugs, collaborating with a Hollywood makeup artist to create new identities, and establishing orphanages all over the world.

While it is unknown what roles Patel, Fiennes, and Kingsley will portray, it is known that Cumberbatch will not only play Sugar but also serve as a link between the many stories by playing multiple characters.

Anderson is noted for employing a well-known cast of performers in his films. Although Fiennes appeared in Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, Cumberbatch, Patel, and Kingsley are all newcomers to the director's filmography.

Cumberbatch is now acting in the worldwide smash hit movie Spider-Man: No Way Home and will reprise his role as the excellent Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which will be released in May 2022. 

For his performance in A24's The Green Knight, which will be released in July 2021, while Fiennes' film The King's Man is currently in theatres. In the current Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Kingsley stole scenes.