Bill Hader Joining Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’

Mark Rylance stars as the titular Big Friendly Giant in adaptation of Roald Dahl children’s book

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Bill Hader is joining the cast of Steven Spielberg‘s “The BFG,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved 1982 novel, the children’s tale follows a young girl teaming up with the Queen of England and a benevolent giant to capture the evil, man-eating giants who have been invading the human world. Mark Rylance will play the giant in the film, with newcomer Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, the little girl.

Melissa Mathison adapted the screenplay.

Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Sam Mercer are producing while Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden and Michael Siegel are executive producers on the Dreamworks Studios and Walden Media co-production.

“The BFG” will open in U.S. theaters on Jul. 1, 2016.

Hader, an alum of “Saturday Night Live,” was most recently seen alongside “SNL” co-star Kristen Wiig in “The Skeleton Twins.” He’ll next star opposite Amy Schumer in Judd Apatow’s “Trainwreck” and he’s also a prolific voice actor, with roles in Pixar’s “Inside Out,” “The Good Dinosaur” and Sony’s “Sausage Party.”

He is represented by UTA.

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