Emma Thompson Is Unrecognizable In Netflix’s ‘Matilda The Musical’ Teaser Trailer

It’s time to release your inner child as Netflix has revealed the teaser for its upcoming holiday season special Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical. The film stars Alisha Weir as the title character, an extraordinarily gifted little girl with a vivid imagination. But the big reveal in the trailer? An unrecognizable Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull.

Originally based on the classic novel by Roald Dahl, which was previously made into a (non-musical) movie in 1996, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical is more directly based on the stage show that first hit the boards in 2010 from Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. And as you can see in the trailer, with the addition of some singing and dancing, some of the 1996 film’s most classic moments are present: from Bruce’s chocolate cake extravaganza; to Matilda’s parent’s tacky obsession with gaudy fashion; to the school’s intimidating playground; to her father’s infamous DIY hair dye experiment.

This is just the first of many projects from Netflix focusing on Dahl’s work, as the streaming service announced in September that they had acquired the rights to some of his most famous books, including Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, and more.

Also starring Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey, Stephen Graham as Mr. Wormwood, Andrew Riseborough as Mrs. Wormwood and Sindhu Vee as Mrs. Phelps, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, which is more of a mouthful than a whole chocolate cake, will premiere on Netflix on a TBD date “this holiday season.” Which holiday? The world may never know, but probably some time in November or December.

Here’s the official synopsis of the movie, via Netflix:

Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir) is a little girl with big curiosity, a sharp mind and a vivid imagination — and the worst parents in the world. While her parents (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) content themselves with trashy TV and dodgy money-making schemes, she loves to lose herself in the pages of her beloved books. Where they are loud, selfish and unkind she is a quiet observer, thinking up small and cheeky acts of rebellion and revenge. On meeting her inspirational teacher, Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch), Matilda is encouraged and begins conjuring her own fantastical tales. Excited to attend Crunchem Hall, Matilda is surprised to find the school is an ominous and oppressive place led by the huge and villainous Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson). As well as kind Miss Honey, the bright lights among the meanness are story-loving librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Sindhu Vee), and Matilda’s newfound school friends. Filled with an overwhelming sense of justice, Matilda dares to take a stand for what is right and teach Trunchbull a lesson she won’t forget.