Based on the acclaimed novel by Patrick Ness (based on an idea from Siobhan Dowd), A MONSTER CALLS is now making its way to the big screen, courtesty of director J.A. Bayona (THE IMPOSSIBLE, THE ORPHANAGE) and a cast that includes Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Kebbell, newcomer Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson as the titular monster. It's got the look and feel of a dark coming-of-age tale (i.e. THE NEVERENDING STORY), which should benefit greatly coming from the immensely talented Bayona.
"He called for a monster."
Here's the synopsis:
A visually spectacular drama from acclaimed director Juan Antonio Bayona (“The Impossible”), based on the award-winning children’s fantasy novel. 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) attempts to deal with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness and the bullying of his classmates by escaping into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales that explore courage, loss, and faith.
Having not read the book it's impossible to say how this teaser captures it, but the talent involved in bringing it to the big screen is impressive and it looks promising. I loved Bayona's heartbreaking and hopeful THE IMPOSSIBLE and it made me wonder why we weren't seeing more work from him. Thankfully, he's back behind the camera and A MONSTER CALLS looks to be a solid venue for his visual skills and style. Plus, having Neeson play a giant, gravelly voiced tree monster is near impossible to resist.
A MONSTER CALLS scares into theaters on October 14, 2016.
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