Film adaptations
A television adaptation of the novel appeared on BBC One on December 28, 1976. Paul Stone directed a script by Trever Preston. The cast included Simon Bell playing James, Bernard Cribbins playing Centipede, and Anna Quayle playing Aunt Spiker.[16]
Though Roald Dahl declined numerous offers during his life to have a film version of James and the Giant Peach produced, his widow, Felicity Dahl, approved an offer to have a film adaptation produced in conjunction with Disney in the mid-1990s.[17] It was directed by Henry Selick and produced by Denise Di Novi and Tim Burton, all of whom previously made The Nightmare Before Christmas. The movie consists of live action and stop-motion to reduce production finances.[18] It was narrated by Pete Postlethwaite (who also played the old man). The film was released on April 12, 1996.[19] Although it was a box office failure, it received positive reviews and eventually became a cult classic.
There are numerous changes in both the plot of the film and the plot of the book, though the film was generally well received. Felicity Dahl said that, "I think Roald would have been delighted with what they did with James."[17] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised the animated part, but calling the live-action segments "crude".[20] It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (by Randy Newman).
In August 2016, Sam Mendes was in negotiations with Disney to direct another live action adaptation of the novel,[21] with Nick Hornby in talks for the script.[22] In May 2017, Mendes was no longer attached to the project due to his entering talks with Disney about directing a live-action film adaptation of Pinocchio.[23]
Musical adaptation
James and the Giant Peach musical playing at the Young People's Theatre in Toronto, 2014The book was made into a musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and book by Timothy Allen McDonald. The musical had its premiere at Goodspeed Musicals on 21 October 2010, and is currently produced in regional and youth theatre.[24][25]
Stage adaptation
David Wood's play based on James and the Giant Peach has been performed worldwide. It was first produced in 2001 by the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff and Birmingham Stage Company, who then toured it all over the UK. Other major productions have been mounted by West Yorkshire Playhouse and Polka Theatre, and it is very popular with community and amateur companies in the UK and US. The play is published and licensed by Concord Theatricals.[26]
Theatrical adaptation
Ray DaSilva's Norwich Puppet Theatre put on puppet theatre performances in 1985.[27]
Audiobooks
The book has been recorded a number of times, including:
- 1977 - by Roald Dahl himself for Caedmon Records (TC-1543 [abridged LP]/CDL 51543 [abridged cassette])[28]
- 2003 – by Jeremy Irons for Harper Children's Audio[29]
- 2016 – by Julian Rhind-Tutt for Puffin Audio[30]
Charity readings
In May 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning director, worked with the Roald Dahl Story Company to publish audio-visual readings of the book. Waititi was joined by Oscar-winning actresses Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, and Cate Blanchett; actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Liam and Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Reynolds; the Duchess of Cornwall, and others in ten installments which were then published to the Roald Dahl official YouTube channel.[31]
The event was organised to raise money for the global-non profit Partners In Health, founded by Dahl's daughter Ophelia, which had been fighting COVID-19 in vulnerable areas; with Roald Dahl Story Co. committing to match donations up to $1million.[31] Waititi had already been working with the company as the writer, director, and executive producer for Netflix's upcoming serialised adaption of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.[32]
