Summary
- “White Bird: A Wonder Story” is the spiritual sequel to “Wonder” and focuses on Auggie’s primary bully Julian, as his grandmother teaches him important life lessons rooted in her experiences during WWII.
- The film stays true to the themes of love and acceptance that made “Wonder” successful, while telling a completely different story. The trailer promises a beautiful tale filled with talented actors.
- Unfortunately, the release of “White Bird: A Wonder Story” has been delayed due to the WGA Writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes, with no official release date announced yet. Other big films are also experiencing delays.
The heartwarming film Wonder is getting a spiritual sequel in the form of White Bird: A Wonder Story, and here’s everything that’s known about it, including the latest White Bird: A Wonder Story news. No one could’ve guessed the success that Wonder would eventually become. Based on a novel by R.J. Palacio, Wonder told the story of 11-year-old Auggie Pullman, a boy born with a rare genetic disorder and facial deformity attending public school who learns to find hope and love in the face of ridicule and bullying from his classmates. Thanks to its success, Wonder is now getting a sequel story, but it isn’t focusing on Auggie.
The latest White Bird: A Wonder Story news reports that the prequel/sequel will instead follow Auggie’s primary bully Julian as his grandmother teaches him valuable life lessons rooted in her time as a Jewish girl growing up in France during World War II. Wonder‘s spiritual successor will be heavily tethered to themes of love and acceptance, staying close to the original film in this regard while telling a wholly different tale. The White Bird: A Wonder Story cast is full of talent and the trailer promises a beautiful tale. Here’s everything that has come out about the Wonder sequel so far and when audiences can expect to see it.
The Most Recent White Bird: A Wonder Story News
The latest White Bird: A Wonder Story news is rather unfortunate, as the release has been delayed by the historic dual WGA Writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Initially, the White Bird: A Wonder Story release date was set for a limited debut on August 18th, 2023, and then opening up to a wider release on August 25th, 2023. However, with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes going on full throttle, Lionsgate is pushing its release to the end of Q4, and it currently doesn’t have an official date (via Deadline). This leaves the last weekend of August’s spot for a wide release completely open, though the phenomenon is not unheard of.
White Bird: A Wonder Story Release Date
Since the most recent White Bird: A Wonder Story news reports that the original release date has been scrapped, there unfortunately is only a premiere window reported by Lionsgate. The original White Bird: A Wonder Story release date was set in late August, but the film’s premiere has been pushed until the end of Q4, meaning White Bird could hit theaters closer to the end of 2023. White Bird isn’t the only movie to be affected by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, as big films like Deadpool 3, Gladiator 2, and Scream VII are also seeing major delays.
White Bird: A Wonder Story Cast
Some of the best White Bird: A Wonder Story news is in regard to the cast. The White Bird: A Wonder Story cast sees a supremely talented bunch, with Bryce Gheisar (The Astronauts) reprising the role of Auggie’s former bully in Wonder, Julian Albans. Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) joins the cast as Vivienne, Julien’s mother, and the biggest addition sees Oscar winner Helen Mirren (The Queen) as Julian’s grandmother Sara Albans. Ariella Glaser (Radioactive) portrays young Sara in White Bird and Orlando Schwerdt (True History of the Kelly Gang) plays Julien.
White Bird: A Wonder Story Plot Details
The latest White Bird: A Wonder Story news sees an official plot synopsis, as well as a trailer, revealing the overall plot to viewers. Piggybacking off of the Wonder ending, the White Bird: A Wonder Story story sees Julian (Gheisar) after officially being sent home from Beecher Prep for bullying Auggie. In the wake of this, Julian’s grandmother Sara (Mirren) decides that she should impart some wisdom to her grandson by telling him a story about her past. Focusing on the power of love and empathy, Sara takes Julian all the way back to World War II and regales a tale from her youth.
A young Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied France, young Sara (Glaser) is protected by her classmate Julien (Schwerdt) from mortal danger. Julien and his parents, including his mother Vivienne (Anderson) go to great lengths to hide Sara from the Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. In the process, Julien and Sara fall in love in a magical world of their own creation. The White Bird: A Wonder Story story is based on R.J. Palacio’s book of the same name and was adapted by screenwriter Mark Bomback (Defending Jacob). The full official plot synopsis for White Bird: A Wonder Story provided by Lionsgate can be read below:
From the best-selling author of Wonder, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter. In White Bird, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage — during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger. They find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy’s mother (Gillian Anderson) risks everything to keep her safe. From director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland and Christopher Robin), screenwriter Mark Bomback, and based on R.J. Palacio’s book, White Bird: A Wonder Story, like Wonder before it, is an uplifting movie about how one act of kindness can live on forever.
White Bird: A Wonder Story Trailer
Thankfully, White Bird: A Wonder Story news does include an official trailer for the upcoming film. The White Bird: A Wonder Story trailer is highly emotional, promising an uplifting and inspirational tale that focuses on the importance of kindness, and just how vital it is when the world grows dark. Director Marc Forster (A Man Called Otto) brings Palacio’s magical tale to the big screen, seeing pure and compelling imagery, fabulously acted scenes from the all-star cast, and important lessons about empathy.
The White Bird: A Wonder Story trailer starts off with Sara paying Julian a visit and relaying that she feels it is imperative to tell him her story, since he was expelled from school for being cruel to Auggie. The shot then makes it abundantly clear that audiences are being taken back to WWII as Nazi flags unfurl. The young Sara and Julien meet, both outcasts because Sara is Jewish and Julien must use a crutch to walk. When Nazi soldiers declare that a Jewish child is missing, the hunt for Sara begins and Julien leads her away to safety. Vivienne assures Sara that she can stay with them.