(Updated 08/22/2024)
The 2017 movie WONDER doesn't seem like a very likely film to generate a spin-off, but WHITE BIRD uses one of the main characters as a bridge to a very different tale of survival during World War II. Both films are based on books by R.J. Palacio, but expect WHITE BIRD to stand very much on its own.
Filmmaker Marc Forster (WORLD WAR Z, FINDING NEVERLAND) directed this tale. Watch the new trailer and we'll tell you more about WHITE BIRD.
What's the White Bird Release Date?
Lionsgate will release WHITE BIRD in movie theaters on October 4, 2024.
Watch the Trailer for White Bird
The power of kindness is at the center of this WHITE BIRD trailer. The trailer also gives viewers a quick primer on WONDER, setting up just enough of that movie's story and conflict to establish the moral center for this new story.
Who's in the Cast of White Bird?
There are two layers of story in WHITE BIRD. The framing story features Bryce Gheisar returning from WONDER as Julian Albans. While there are quite a few minor characters in that framing story, the most important is the artist Grandmère, played by Helen Mirren, who narrates the main story.
In that story, Grandmère is seen as a Jewish girl, Sara Blum, living in Nazi-occupied France. She's played by Ariella Glaser. And Orlando Schwerdt co-stars as Julien Beaumier, a young man afflicted with polio, who saves Sara from being carried away by German soldiers. Also in the cast are Gillian Anderson as Vivienne Beaumier, Julien's mother; Ishai Golan as Max Blum, Sara's father; and Patsy Ferran as Sara and Julien's teacher. The cast also features Jem Matthews, Stuart McQuarrie, Olivia Ross, and Jo Stone-Fewings.
What Book Is White Bird Based On?
While WONDER was based on the children's novel of the same name by R. J. Palacio. Following the success of that book, Palacio wrote a number of related books using a variety of structures and media. "White Bird" is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Palacio.
WHITE BIRD opens on October 4.
All images courtesy of Lionsgate.