A MONSTER CALLS Trailer

I suppose the title A Monster Calls has a double meaning. It certainly refers to the tree-like monster that appears to young Connor, but it could also refer to the monstrous situation before him: the impending death of his mother. As a child, this brings about not only great tragedy but an upheaval of day-to-day life. Who will make him dinner, cuddle with him on the couch, and teach him to draw? Security is being taken away along with his beloved mother, making for a situation so difficult to handle that perhaps only a fantastical beast can get him through.

Based on an award-winning young adult novel of the same name, the book itself is steeped in a sad history. The story comes from author Siobhan Dowd, who died of breast cancer at age 47 before getting past the outline stage.

Writer Patrick Ness and illustrator Jim Kay picked up the seeds and ran with it, trying to bring the story itself to life instead of speculating about what Dowd might have done. The end product was a resounding success with readers and critics alike, and Ness was retained to adapt the story for the screen.

This time he is paired with director J.A. Bayona, whose previous films The Orphanage and The Impossible feature some truly impressive visuals. He’s already been taped for the currently untitled Jurassic World Sequel, leaving A Monster Calls as possibly his last film before he explodes into the mainstream. I’m thinking that A Monster Calls has a chance to be a breakout hit itself, though. It’s classical fantasy about a monster that comes for all of us, with a giant tree to boot.

A Monster Calls is directed by J.A. Bayona. It stars Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Kebbell, and Liam Neeson. It will be released in the U.S. on October 21st, 2016 and in the U.K. on January 6th, 2017. For international release dates, click here.

Do you think A Monster Calls will catch on with audiences? Let us know in the comments!