Everything We Know About The New Magic Faraway Tree Movie

Most Brits will remember growing up reading Enid Blyton’s children’s novels, from the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, to Noddy and Malory Towers. And while many of her stories (and views) don’t hold up in the light of the 21st century, The Faraway Tree series (1939–51) still holds a special place in my heart: that mystical otherworld up a gigantic magical tree discovered by Jo, Bessie and Fanny. It was the perfect pre-bedtime adventure, featuring strange creatures like the Angry Pixie, Silky and Moonface. They were also incredibly popular – and have never been out of print since The Enchanted Wood was first published in 1939.

It’s surprising then that the series – made up of four novels – never got the screen treatment (other than 13 10-minute animations aired on CBBC in 1997). In 2014, legendary director Sam Mendes’ production company Neal Street Productions revealed it was working on cinema’s first live action adaptation of the stories. And a decade later there was finally some movement, with Wonka (2023) and Horrible Histories’ (2009–14) Simon Farnaby behind the script and Ben Gregor on board to direct. Finally set to land in cinemas next spring, here’s everything we know.

The Magic Faraway Tree: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

First, let’s take a moment to delve into Simon Farnaby. If you recognise this British comedian, it’s most likely from Horrible Histories, Ghosts or even The Mighty Boosh, but off screen he is the mastermind behind modern children’s movie classics including Paddington 2 (2017) and Wonka (2023), each based on beloved British intellectual property. Next he is turning his attention to Enid Blyton and her Faraway Tree franchise – so we can expect plenty of his characteristic wit and very British slant of silliness.

Farnaby has a small on screen role as a local farmer in The Magic Faraway Tree, and he is joined by a stellar cast of Brits – probably united by nostalgia. Anchoring the project are Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield who play Polly and Tim Thompson – parents of Beth, Fran and Joe, three precocious children who discover a wondrous land in the woods near their new home. Naturally, three newcomers have clinched the roles; more on that below.

What Will Happen?

The Magic Faraway Tree film centres on a modern reimagining of the book’s Thompson family: Polly (Foy) and Tim (Garfield) and their three children Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), Fran (Billie Gadsdon) and Joe (Phoenix Laroche).

Under financial strain and forced to relocate to the remote English countryside, the children take some adapting to their new lives. Indeed, they are living (and fixing up) a dilapidated barn. But when they venture into the local woods, they find something startling: a magical tree, which a plethora of extraordinary and eccentric characters call home.

They meet Moonface (Nonso Anozie), Silky (Nicola Coughlan), Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning) and Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns) – all classic characters you’ll remember fondly from Blyton’s books. As the adventurous trio climbs to the top, they are transported to fantastical lands – and through the joy of the journey, the family learns to reconnect and value each other for the first time in years.

Watch the trailer below for a taste of the action.

It’s immediately clear this isn’t a totally faithful Blyton adaptation. Instead her story has been reset in the modern day, with Beth, Fran and Joe three tech-addicted 21st century children with a total aversion to nature. ‘There’s this wood where we’re going, full of the most beautiful trees,’ Tim says in the trailer – to uproar from his brood. ‘Trees? Literally the most boring things in the world,’ Beth deadpans. ‘Will there be Wifi?’ Joe asks.

If you can pull your own tech-addicted children away from their phones and tablets for a few hours and plonk them in front of the big screen, they’ll certainly be in for a treat.

Who Will Star?

Meet the Thompson family: matriarch Polly is played by Claire Foy, joined by husband Tim as Andrew Garfield. They are both very familiar British faces, but to jog your memory: Foy is best known for originating the role of Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s The Crown and has more recently starred in Women Talking (2022), All of Us Strangers (2023) and H is for Hawk (2025). Garfield meanwhile had his breakthrough role in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), but has since earned acclaim starring in Hacksaw Ridge (2016), Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021), Under the Banner of Heaven (2022) and We Live in Time (2024).

And then there’s the children: meet Beth, Fran and Joe, played by newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon and Phoenix Laroche. Bennett-Cardy has a handful of stage credits to her name, including Bugsy Malone and School of Rock, while Gadsdon has appeared in minor roles on screen, including in Cruella (2021) and playing Jasmine, the daughter of Dexter (Leo Woodall), in the finale of Netflix’s One Day. You might also recognise Laroche meanwhile from Apple TV’s drama, Trying.

They’re joined by a full slate of stars, from Ireland’s Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls, Bridgerton) to Brits Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones, Cinderella) and Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer), as well as Lenny Henry, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale and Jennifer Saunders. The full cast we know so far is as follows:

• Claire Foy as Polly Thompson
• Andrew Garfield as Tim Thompson
• Delilah Bennett-Cardy as Beth Thompson
• Billie Gadsdon as Fran Thompson
• Phoenix Laroche as Joe Thompson
• Nicola Coughlan as Silky
• Nonso Anozie as Moonface
• Jessica Gunning as Dame Washalot
• Dustin Demri-Burns as the Saucepan Man
• Mark Heap as Mr. Oom Boom Boom
• Oliver Chris as Mr. Watzisname
• Lenny Henry
• Michael Palin
• Simon Russell Beale
• Jennifer Saunders as Grandma Thompson
• Hiran Abeysekera as Angry Pixie
• Pippa Bennett-Warner as Hannah
• Rebecca Ferguson as Dame Snap

Release Date

The Magic Faraway Tree will land in UK and Irish cinemas on 27 March 2026.