The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar gets a re-release on Netflix: Everything we know so far

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, a film directed by Wes Anderson and based on Roald Dahl's short story, was initially released on Netflix in September 2023. It is scheduled to re-release as part of an anthology of four short films. The anthology, titled The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More, is arriving on Netflix on March 15, 2024.

The movie, which took home the Best Live Action Short Film Academy Award at the 2024 Oscars, is about Henry Sugar. He is a successful gambler who, after stealing a book, gains the ability to see through objects and predict the future.

The anthology compares and contrasts biblical ideas about money and generosity with themes of greed, wealth inequality, and the dangers of excessive consumption of right about anything.

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The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More re-releases: What is its plot and storyline like?

As previously mentioned, Wes Anderson's short film, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, is based on a few short stories by Roald Dahl. The main character of the film is Henry Sugar. He can see through objects and foretell the future thanks to a book he stole.

The description of the trailer on YouTube reads,

"Four spellbinding tales unfold in writer-director Wes Anderson's anthology of short films adapted from Roald Dahl's beloved stories."

The story is presented in the anthology The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More, which also features three other Anderson-directed short films that are adaptations of Dahl's short stories. Jarvis Cocker additionally contributed an original composition to the anthology.

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Exploring the cast of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Henry Sugar, a wealthy gambler who acquires a knack for seeing through objects and predicting the future. Ralph Fiennes, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, Rupert Friend, and Richard Ayoade are among the other well-known actors in the cast.

Besides portraying Roald Dahl in the movie, Ralph Fiennes also makes an appearance as a police officer. Imdad Khan is a street magician with a special talent, and Sir Ben Kingsley plays him. Dr. Chatterjee, played by Dev Patel, is a character who shows Khan's outstanding talent.

In an interview with Deadline, Wes Anderson discussed the re-release by saying,

"Well, there’s one where Ralph Fiennes plays a rodent exterminator. It’s a story called The Rat Catcher that Dahl wrote, I think, in the ’50s. (...) Then we also have one called Poison. That’s an old Dahl story. Maybe from the early ’40s or mid-’40s, I guess. For that one, we’ve got Benedict Cumberbatch again, we’ve got Ben Kingsley again, and we’ve got Dev Patel again. So that’s a completely different group from The Rat Catcher."

He added,

"We’ve also done The Swan, which is from The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. That’s essentially just Rupert Friend, who was great by himself."

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What order should I watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More?

Vulture suggests that the movies can be watched in the release order. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More, an anthology, features Wes Anderson-directed adaptations of Roald Dahl's short stories.

This anthology includes the following films: The Swan, The Rat Catcher, and Poison, in addition to the titular story. With its clever camera techniques and whimsical elements that are characteristic of Anderson's style, the movie offers viewers a singular visual experience.

Anderson, however, maintained to Deadline,

"Well, I don’t have an aesthetic. (...) But it’s an invention, you know? What I was doing in Bottle Rocket was what I had. That was my aesthetic. And it changed in this one. (...) It’s a certain kind of way to film a sequence that is not so typical for everybody. And I do it a lot."

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With a strong cast and Wes Anderson's imaginative vision, the re-release takes viewers on a whimsical journey through Roald Dahl's world of fantasy.