Benedict Cumberbatch steps into the spotlight as a rich London bachelor in Wes Anderson’s adaptation of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.
Just a few short months after Anderson’s last film, Asteroid City, Netflix dropped the trailer for the visionary director’s short film based on a collection of short stories from children’s fiction author Roald Dahl. Based on the real-life tale of Hindu mystic Kuda Bux, Henry Sugar tells the tale of a gambler who learns how to properly meditate in hopes of learning to see through playing cards.
This is the second Dahl adaptation Anderson has brought to life, following 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, which won an Oscar for Best Animated Film.
“I knew Roald Dahl since before we made Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Anderson previously shared with IndieWire. “I met Lindsay Dahl, his widow, when we were shooting The Royal Tenenbaums like 20 years ago. For years I wanted to do Henry Sugar. They set this story aside for me because I was friends with them. Lindsay kind of handed the torch to Luke, Dahl’s grandson. So I had this waiting for me. But I really couldn’t figure out the approach. I knew what I liked in the story was the writing of it, Dahl’s words. I couldn’t find the answer, and then suddenly I did.”
Alongside Cumberbatch, Henry Sugar stars Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes and Rupert Friend.
Henry Sugar will premiere on Netflix Sept. 27.
