Emma Thompson will play Miss Trunchbull in the Netflix adaption of Matilda. The story of Matilda originated from the Roald Dahl novel of the same title. The book was published in 1988. Matilda then was successfully adapted as a film in 1996. The Matilda legacy continued when it was adapted into a Broadway musical. Matilda opened on Broadway opened on April 11, 2013, and ran for almost four years before closing on January 1, 2017.
Variety confirmed that Emma Thompson would play the nefarious Miss Trunchbull. The character is Matilda's school's headmistress and the main antagonist, played by Pam Ferris in the 1996 film adaption. For the Broadway musical, Christopher Sieber originated the role in drag. The Netflix adaption initially contemplated going in the same route and considered Ralph Fiennes for the role. Emma's look is certainly different from the traditional Miss Trunchbull look. Either Thompson will get a big makeover, or the adaption is attempting a different take on the role.
The Netflix adaption has also confirmed that Alisha Weir will play the title role of Matilda. Weir got her big break in the Irish TV series Darklands and recently appeared in the horror film Leave Me Alone. Captain Marvel star Lashana Lynch has been reportedly cast as Miss Honey. Miss Honey is Matilda's kind teacher and ally.
Matilda centers on a young genius girl named Matilda Wormwood, who develops psychokinetic abilities and uses them to deal with her disreputable family and Agatha Trunchbull, the ruthless, oppressive, and tyrannical principal of Crunchem Hall Elementary School.
Source: Variety