Nicola Coughlan, Nonso Anozie, Jessica Gunning

Source: Ibsan73 (CC BY 2.0) / Ed Miller / Netflix

Nonso Anozie, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning

Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, Sweet Tooth’s Nonso Anozie and Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning have joined the cast of the film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s children’s classic book, The Magic Faraway Tree.

Coughlan, Anozie and Gunning will play the inhabitants of a magical tree that can transport visitors to far-off lands, with Lenny Henry, Michael Palin and Simon Russell Beale starring as a trio of wise men. Dustin Demri-Burns, Mark Heap and Oliver Chris round out the cast.

As previously announced, Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield will play the parents of a family who relocate to the English countryside and discover the tree.

Ben Gregor is directing, with production commencing later this month in the UK. The script was adapted from Blyton’s book by Wonka and Paddington 2 writer Simon Farnaby.

Producers are Pippa Harris for Neal Street Productions, with Danny Perkins of Elysian Film Group and Jane Hooks.

Ashland Hill Media Finance is fully financing the film, with Palisades Park Pictures handling worldwide sales and CAA Media Finance co-representing US rights.

CEO of Elysian Film Group, Danny Perkins said: “Attracting such talented high-profile individuals to this project is testament to the power of Blyton’s enduring legacy and the continued commerciality of her storytelling.”

London-born author Blyton’s The Faraway Tree book series has sold over 30 million copies to-date, since the books were first released from 1939–51.