This film feels as if it’s been in the works for years but we know now that it will be released in March this year.

The trailer came out at the end of last month and although it’s only about 3 minutes long I thought I’d pick it apart to see what clues it is giving us for the full movie. (I am jumping back up here to note that before writing this sentence I had written 376 words about the first 7 seconds of the trailer…)

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Iconic scenes

‘Scenes’ is perhaps taking it too far as we barely get a glimpse of each of these in the first second of the trailer – but there a re couple of things that are instantly recognisable from the books.

We see what I assume is the slippery-slip and Fran hurtling down it.

We also see the ladder that leads from the top of the tree to whichever land has arrived at the top.

It’s a much longer ladder than I ever imagined – I think you’d be exhausted by the time you had reached the top (if you didn’t fall off first!)

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The cast & characters

The adult cast list has been known for a while, but we get a good look at them in the trailer – though it doesn’t do much in the way of explaining who any of the characters are. Even I’ve heard of most of them – and I’m notoriously bad at naming actors.

In order it highlights:

Andrew Garfield who is playing the children’s dad. (I recognise him as having played Spider-Man)

Claire Foy as the children’s mum. (I know her from The Crown)

Nonso Anozie as Moonface – though he has more of a moon hair look rather than a moon face. (I didn’t recognise though looking at his acting credits I have seen him in a few things)

Nicola Coughlan as Silky – sans wings though I have a feeling I’ve seen her with wings in some other clips or photos. (I’ve never seen Derry Girls but I know she was in that.)

Jennifer Saunders who according to the cast list is the children’s grandma. I’m not sure how big a role she has. It’s possibly just a short scene but they like putting the biggest names in the trailers regardless. (Who doesn’t know who Jennifer Saunders is.)

Rebecca Ferguson as Dame Snap – not Slap. (I also didn’t recognise though looking at her acting credits I have seen her in a few things. The trailer made me think of the title character from Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children but that’s Eva Green)

Not introduced by actor’s name but also shown are:

Beth, Joe and Fran the three children. (Originally Bessie, Jo and Fanny.) Delilah Bennett-Cardy is Beth, Billie Gadsdon is Fran, and Phoenix Laroche is Joe.

Brian the farmer. (When watching I knew I recognised him but could I think of his name or what I’d seen him in? Turns out it’s Simon Farnaby and the most recent thing was Ghosts.)

Bella, Brian the farmer’s Wifi… sorry, wife. Turns out Claire Keelan is Simon Farnaby’s wife in real life and this is the first time they’ve had a role together which is quite nice.

The Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns) who is nicely covered in saucepans and mishears Fran as Stan.

Mr Whatshisname (Oliver Chris).

Mr Oom-Boom-Boom (Mark Heap).

Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning). If you look closely you can see her cape is made out of gloves.

There are other cast listed online who don’t appear in the trailer. One is the Angry Pixie, and another is Hannah. Lenny Henry and Michael Palin are also listed as appearing, but as who we don’t know. Obviously a trailer can’t show us everyone and everything!

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The setting

By 24 seconds in we know it’s in the present day as Joe asks if there will be wifi. From the looks the parents give each other the answer is ‘no’ and so the movie is unlikely to have much tech in it, if any. I have already seen people groaning about how this is all modern and therefore won’t be any good – but I think it makes it more relatable for today’s kids who, after all, are the target audience. As there’s no wifi the children won’t be on their devices and are obviously going to be off adventuring for most of the film, so the fact it’s 2026 and not 1946 is barely relevant.

They arrive to find their new accomodation is a barn, and not even a nicely converted one at that, though in later shots they seem to have made some improvements.

We see a little of the Faraway Tree – Silk’s house and Dame Washalot’s area.

We see several Lands, including the Land of Birthdays and the Land of Dame Snap.

I think it’s fair to say that everything looks really good. Very whimsical and full of magic.

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The premise

Beth says that ‘trees are boring’ and then in a voice-over says that they’ve become poor and had to move to the countryside. So, sticking to the plot of the book there – though it perhaps seemed more realistic in the 1940s.

The older two children in particular do not seem thrilled about this and I suspect the no wifi/screens will be a bit of a running joke at least to begin with.

Fran finds a letter on her pillow addressed “Dear Human Child” and which thanks her for returning a purse. I assume this is from Silky. It invites Fran to the Magic Faraway Tree – though she’s been warned (by Bella) never to stray into the woods as they’re full of strange creatures and floaty lights.

Once there she is whisked into the tree to meet the inhabitants, before they go off to the Land of Goodies.

The other children must get involved later as we see them visiting lands and being excited about what’s coming next. There must be more to the story, though. Perhaps Fran begging the others to come along and them not believing her at first, or them wondering where she’s sneaking off to and following her – I’ll have to watch the film to find out.

I suspect the main action and peril will come from them visiting the Land of Dame Snap as she’s clearly being set up as the main villain of the piece. I expect the flying school bus is them escaping from her as I’m pretty sure they escape by plane in the book.

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Overall I thought it made the film look pretty good (that’s it’s one job after all). It seems to be sticking fairly close to the source material despite being set in the present day. It definitely looks like massive amounts of money have been invested in it. That’s not always a sign of excellence of course – but isn’t it time that Blyton had a blockbuster after all?