Colin Firth stars in a new period drama adaptation of the beloved novel, The Secret Garden.
The first trailer for the new adaptation of The Secret Garden movie is here, and it looks magical! From the producers of Paddington and Harry Potter comes a fresh take on the classic children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett with Colin Firth in a starring role.
Now, this isn’t the first time Colin Firth’s appeared in an adaptation of The Secret Garden. He first played an older version of Colin in a 1987 TV Movie. However, in this version, he’ll be playing the uncle, Archibald Craven, a man with many secrets. The gloomy character is perfect for an actor known for his intense, brooding stares.
Other actors in the cast include the always excellent Julie Walters, Dixie Egerickx as Mary Lennox, Edan Hayhurst as Colin, and Amir Wilson as Dickon.
While there have been other memorable interpretations of this classic story before, most notably the enchanted 1993 adaptation, I think it’s time for a new generation to have their own version of the story.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF THE SECRET GARDEN (2020):
From StudioCanal:
THE SECRET GARDEN tells the story of Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx, Genius, The Little Stranger and A Royal Winter), a prickly and unloved 10-year-old girl, born in India to wealthy British parents. When they suddenly die, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Academy Award® and BAFTA-winner Colin Firth – A Single Man, The King’s Speech, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Bridget Jones’s Baby) on his remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors.
There, she begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly after meeting her sickly cousin Colin (Edan Hayhurst – Genius, There She Goes), who has been shut away in a wing of the house. Together, these two damaged, slightly misfit children heal each other through their discovery of a wondrous secret garden, lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor. A magical place of adventure that will change their lives forever.
OFFICIAL TRAILER:
THOUGHTS AND TRAILER REACTION:
Based on the trailer, the cast, the apparent high production quality, not to mention Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) writing the script, this is sure to be fabulous. I love the charming storytelling angle and the beautiful gardens. While past versions have had a standard gothic feel, this one looks to have a gothic fantasy style instead. It will be interesting to see how this adaptation turns out, and I can’t wait to watch it with my nieces.
As of now, the film is set to premiere in the U.K. on April 17, 2020. I imagine the U.S. premiere will follow soon after.
What do you think of the new Secret Garden trailer? Are you open to a new adaptation? Or do you feel this story’s been done too many times? Let me know in the comments.
(Photo: StudioCanal/Heyday Films)
I’m love the trailer! I’m excited to see the ne movie but sad we have to wait until 2020. Colin Firth will be perfect and I cannot wait for this adaptation.
I know, right? Spring 2020 seems so far away…I will definitely be seeing this one in theaters as soon as it comes out.
This is the book (now movie) that started my love of British literature. Plus, Colin Firth. I will be seeing it!
This was one of my first books from British Lit I fell in love with too. Such a beautiful story. But yeah, Colin firth in a classic book adaptation? I’m definitely in.
I’m not sure what this adaptation will be like – the garden looks massive and not the small walled garden of the book at all. Also looks magical – the book was magical but only in the sense that it made both children and eventually the uncle believe in themselves and in the power of that healing through nature which was magical but not in a fantasy sense as seems to be from the trailer. I love Colin Firth obvs but hope this movie won’t be a travesty of the original Frances Hodgson Burnett classic.
This is just a theory but the fantasy elements in the trailer may be misleading. It could be the director is showing us the characters’ imagination and it won’t actually be turned into a fantasy film. Anyway, with classic book adaptations, I always hope for the best. But some filmmakers do get adaptations wrong. Still, I remain hopeful with this one. I read some quotes from the producers and it sounds like they respect the original work. So, crossing fingers!
I’m afraid I dont feel particularly comfortable with this trailer. It seems way to fantastical and what I always loved about the book was how a hidden garden and some honest work brought people to their better side. I’ll be seeing it, if it’s in my country’s cinemas , but I’m not too hyped. Time to rewatch the Holland’s version :3
I understand your perspective, for sure. While I remain hopeful about this adaptation, it may or may not turn out to be good. We shall see. Still, since we all read books differently, this time around we’ll be getting Jack Thorne and the director’s understanding of the book. And it may not be to everyone’s taste.
If you (like me) don’t like this version of “The Secret Garden”, I highly recommend you all to watch “The Secret Garden (1975)” mini series of 7 episodes. It follows the book beautifully and captures the magical feeling of the garden without resorting to adding supernatural magic. You can even watch the complete mini series on YouTube. I don’t even bother watching other versions because this mini series is long enough to develop each character appropriately, not like the movies.
I love that version too! I remember watching it at my grandmother’s when I was a little girl. 🙂
To watch full episodes, you must have a cable provider that supports BBC America’s full episode service and you must have BBC America as part of your cable package.