Joel Harper-Jackson and Lauren Alexandra set for ”Matilda” movie

New names have been confirmed for the film version of Matilda the Musical.

The film is coming out this Christmas and has some exciting new cast members on board including Joel Harper-Jackson, who has just appeared in the concert production of Chess at Theatre Royal Drury Lane and will shortly take on the role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at the same venue.

Harper-Jackson hasn’t revealed his role in Matilda, but confirmed the news in the Chess programme on Monday. His other credits include Cock, where he took over full-time from Taron Egerton after Egerton withdrew from the production.

Also cast in the piece is Lauren Alexandra (The Lion King) who will play the vital role of The Acrobat in the movie, opposite Carl Spencer (Hamilton) as The Escapologist.

As previously announced, Alisha Weir (Darklands) will take on the lead role in the 2022 flick based on the stage production, joining a cast including Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die) as Miss Honey and Emma Thompson (Love, Actually) as Miss Trunchbull. You can watch its trailer here.

Also in the film will be Stephen Graham (Line of Duty) and Andrea Riseborough (The Death of Stalin) as Mr and Mrs Wormwood, while comedian Sindhu Vee will play librarian Mrs Phelps.

Charlie Hodson-Prior (Bruce Bogtrotter), Meesha Garbett (Hortensia), Rei Yamauchi Fulker (Lavender), Winter Jarrett Glasspool (Amanda Thripp), Andrei Shen (Eric) and Ashton Robertson (Nigel) take on younger roles in the musical comedy.

It will be released theatrically in the UK by Sony Pictures, with a streamed release for other territories via Netflix. It will be released in cinemas in the UK on 22 December 2022, with a Netflix release set for the same month everywhere else.