Things We Saw Today: Roald Dahl’s Matilda Is All Grown Up

As a bookish young girl, Matilda was a huge part of my childhood—both the Roald Dahl original book and the film, which imprinted itself upon a generation of kids. To mark the 30th anniversary of the first publication, Dahl’s longtime collaborator and friend, the illustrator Quentin Blake, will release a series of eight sketches of Matilda Wormwood as a 30-year-old woman, according to The Guardian.

Now Dr. Matilda Wormwood in the forward to the new addition, Blake talked about dreaming up all of the things Matilda would have done as an adult, without her powers, and having grown up in the loving adoptive household of Miss Honey.

“Since, as a small child, Matilda was gifted in several ways, it wasn’t very difficult. I imagined that for each version of our grown-up Matilda one of her extraordinary talents and achievements would have come to the fore and shown her a role in life,” he writes.

“I am sure that someone who had read so many books when she was small could easily have become chief executive of the British Library, or someone exceptionally gifted at mental arithmetic would be perfectly at home in astrophysics. And if you have been to so many countries in books, what could be more natural than to go and see them yourself?”

Blake called the process of illustrating and revisiting Matilda as a wonderful experience: “It has been very special to revisit her all these years later and marvel at the woman she would have become.” And to see her goals be so in keeping with her character. That she continues to be a smart, kind, inquisitive person is all the 30 years-later we need. You hear that J.K. Rowling?

• The first images of Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker in the upcoming stand-alone film about Batman’s greatest rival have been released and Twitter reacted in a way that would make Mr. J proud. It’s a real the clown cried situation. (Pajiba)
• With Aquaman coming out soon, now it a perfect time to start revisiting all the supernatural creatures of the ocean that are under his control. Cthulu anyone? (The Portalist)
• Den of Geek delivers a deep cut into the similarities between Captain America: The First Avenger and Sky Captain. (Den of Geek)
• We get our first look at the rest of the Spellman sisterhood as well as most of the supporting cast of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. (Mashable)
• This Avengers 4 reshoots photo has everyone speculating about who may be returning in the film. (CBR)

What did you see on this here Monday?

(via The Guardian, image: Quentin Blake)

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