Wes Anderson apparently had so much fun making Fantastic Mr Fox (although allegedly the animators didn’t) that he’s signed on to make four short films based on the beloved former spy’s children’s books, and here’s the first.
How to watch The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar in Australia
Australian fans can catch The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar when it starts streaming exclusively on Netflix from September 27. Which makes sense, given the streamer paid $686 million to buy the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021. Dead writers don’t strike, we guess.
The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar
What is The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar about?
It’s about 39 minutes long—these are shorts, not features. But more specifically, as Netflix’s official synopsis says: Henry Sugar, a wealthy man, decides to take on an extraordinary challenge—he wants to master an extraordinary skill in order to cheat at gambling games. Which isn’t as specific as we’d like, to be honest. In the original short story, Sugar undertakes an epic journey to learn the art of X-ray vision, but the wealthy gambler soon comes to understand that eliminating the risk takes all the fun out of life. There’s a lesson there for all of us.
The cast of The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar
Anderson’s films always have ridiculously stacked casts, and this one is no exception. Benedict Cumberbatch is Sugar, Ralph Fiennes is Dahl, and the rest of the ensemble features Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, and Rupert Friend. Which is light on actors from Anderson’s usual stable, but we’ll take it.
The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar trailer
What the critics are saying about The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar
After the mixed reception of Anderson’s last film, Asteroid City, The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar has been lavished with praise, with pundits noting that the auteur’s rich, intricate style is a perfect match for Dahl’s prose. As for us, we’re always on board for a Wes Anderson movie—while some may be getting tired of his deadpan humour and detached irony, he’s clearly a generational talent, and we’re lucky to have him.
