Netflix have released a first look image of Florence Pugh in the film adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s novel The Wonder, which has begun production in Ireland, as well as announcing that joining Pugh are Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds, Dermot Crowley, Brían F. O’Byrne and David Wilmot.

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The logline for the film is as follows:

The Irish Midlands, 1862 – a young girl stops eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright is brought to a tiny village to observe eleven-year old Anna O’Donnell. Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. Is the village harbouring a saint ‘surviving on manna from heaven’ or are there more ominous motives at work?

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Director Sebastián Lelio released a statement saying:

Bringing the powerful novel The Wonder by Emma Donoghue to the screen not only offers me the chance to portray the collision between reason and faith, individual and community, obedience and rebellion, but also to explore my own interpretation of what a “period” film can be. I couldn’t be more thrilled that the magnetic and courageous Florence Pugh will play our fierce female lead. I am also excited to be reunited with Ed Guiney and Element, to have the privilege to work with Tessa Ross and House, and honoured that Netflix have chosen The Wonder as their first UK Features endeavour.

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Fiona Lamptey, Director of UK Features at Netflix, also released a statement saying:

The Wonder has everything we’re looking for at Netflix for our UK & Ireland Film slate – a rich, authentic story that comes from these shores along with creative excellence across source material, script, director and actors. I’m incredibly excited to work with such outstanding talent on a unique female lead story. Creating opportunities for UK & Irish talent like Florence in ambitious, distinctive stories of scale – embedded in our landscape – is a key commitment for the film slate we are building here.

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The film is the first production commissioned out of the UK by Fiona Lamptey, and is being developed with the support of Fis Éireann/Screen Ireland and Access Entertainment. The film is being adapted by Donoghue, Lelio and Alice Birch, with Tessa Ross and Juliette Howell of House Productions serving as producers alongside Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures. Donoghue will also executive produce alongside Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen.

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The Wonder is being aimed for release sometime in 2022.