STXfilms has released the first trailer for the new The Secret Garden movie. Produced by David Heyman who helped steer the Harry Potter and Paddington franchises, the film takes place in 1947 England and follows a young orphan girl who is sent to live with her uncle. While wandering his dilapidated estate, she discovers a magical garden, which spurs her sickly cousin out of a particularly depressing funk.

The time period is new here, as Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel took place in the early 1900s, so it’ll be interesting to see how that translates. There’s a bit of a Beasts of the Southern Wild vibe owing to the handheld cinematography, but Colin Firth is solidly cast as the uncle and newcomer Dixie Egerickx makes a impression even in this short trailer. This story’s been done before, notably by filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron in the 1990s, but there’s a reason the book is timeless and I’m certainly interested to see what new avenues are explored in this particular adaptation.

Check out the Secret Garden trailer below. Directed by Marc Munden (Utopia) and written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), the film also stars Julie Walters and opens in theaters later this year.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Secret Garden:

THE SECRET GARDEN starring Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Dixie Egerickx is a new take on the beloved classic novel of the same name written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Set in England during a new time period in 1947, the film follows a young orphan girl who, after being sent to live with her uncle, discovers a magical garden on the grounds of his estate.

the-secret-garden-colin-firth
Image via STXfilms

the-secret-garden-poster