Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy to Star in ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ Film

Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy

Courtesy of Maarten de Boer and Juankr

Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy to direct film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s children’s classic The distant magic tree.

The author’s story, based on his series of children’s novels The Faraway Tree, follows Polly and Tim and their children Beth, Joe and Fran – a modern family who find themselves forced to move to the isolated English countryside.

Andrew Garfield, two-time Oscar nominee (Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Hacksaw Ridge) will play Tim and two-time Emmy Award winner Claire Foy (We all strangers, the Crown) will take on the role of Polly.

Neal Street Productions, Elysian Film Group and Ashland Hill Media Finance will produce, with principal photography expected to begin in June 2024 and additional casting underway.

Screenwriter Simon Farnaby, British star of Wonka And Paddington2, said: “Having two actors of the quality of Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy is a screenwriter’s dream.”

“I have long admired their warmth, their spirit and their lightness. Plus, they have the power to imbue complexity into their characters that I don’t have the power to write…I mean, even Enid Blyton might be impressed that we have Spider-Man and the Queen…”

Director Ben Gregor (Brittany, Cuckoo, Covert operations, Paternity) added: “Andrew and Claire are exquisite performers and I feel so spoiled to have them for this film. They are the cornerstones of our big-hearted world and the perfect people to bring our lovely storyline to life.

Palisades Park Pictures is handling worldwide sales, with CAA Media Finance co-representing U.S. rights. It will be on sale at the Cannes Film Market this month.

The film is produced by Academy Award nominee Pippa Harris (Empire of Light, 1917, Call the midwife) and Nicholas Brown (Brittany, Informant, Penny Terrible) from Neal Street Productions, alongside Danny Perkins (The most beautiful days) by Elysian Film Group and Jane Hooks (golda, Life).

Executive producers include Simon Williams, Joe Simpson and Jonathan Bross of Ashland Hill Media Finance, as well as Tamara Birkemoe of Palisades Park Pictures.

The film has been in development for several years, with Perkins, Harris and Brown working on the film when the former headed StudioCanal UK.