All of the stars are opening up from their upcoming work on ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ and now Reese Witherspoon is sharing a bit on how the movie will differ from the source material. As most of the changes were made to have the story be more inclusive, this is an instance where they shouldn’t change the narrative in a way that would turn away purists. We know that Witherspoon will be playing Mrs. Whatsit in the movie and she shares what director Ava DuVernay has up her sleeves!
We’ve already heard from Oprah that she feels the film will be “The Wizard of Oz for a new generation” and what Witherspoon says about it feels to be in line with that statement.
According to the actress:
“I really was excited when Ava explained her vision for the film. She wasn’t going to do sort of ‘classic’ … Because I read the book as a little girl. And she was like, ‘I’m going to deviate a lot. I want to have the house in Downtown LA. I want the kids to be all different ethnicities. I want kids to watch this movie and know that anything’s possible.’ I get emotional thinking how little kids going to the theater to actually see a character, and an actor that looks like them makes them think it’s possible. And also, to have women who are heroes, who are all different sizes and all different races, because women are the heroes of a lot of kids’ lives. To see that properly represented is way overdue and exciting. I think it’s exciting to have a director with that kind of vision, and Disney’s belief in her to give her an incredible amount of creative control and free reign to create this magic.”
With the original novel by Madeleine L’Engle being published in 1962, this is clearly an updated take on the tale. The core message and story look to be intact but with a cast that is more inclusive of what the world looks like today and having it set in a more modern time.
Not only are these changes allowing for a more diverse cast but it also departs from some of the more traditional beats in Disney storytelling and is giving us a darker take on the subject material.
Are you looking forward to checking out ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ when it is released later this year? Do you feel that the changes to be set in a more inclusive modern time was the right way to go? Share your thoughts below!
