Revisit these fantastical films adapted from books by Dahl

With “Wonka” — an origin story for the mysterious magical chocolatier Willy Wonka — reigning at the box office, one can’t help but think of Roald Dahl, the British writer who penned “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in 1964.

Dahl’s work has long captured the imaginations and hearts of children, with his books that are fantastical, quirky and dark enough to evoke the more challenging emotions of childhood. His work has also inspired some of our best filmmakers to put their stamp on his worlds, so here’s a selection of some of the best Dahl adaptations available to stream.

First up, of course, are the other two Wonka movies: “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971), directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder in the title role, and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005), directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as Wonka. The films are two very different takes on the character and world, though some things remain the same: Oompa-Loompas, Wonka’s top hat and cane, and the magical mischief throughout. Stream both films on Max or rent them elsewhere.

Another one of Dahl’s beloved novels has also received two film adaptations: “Matilda.”

Most recently, Matthew Warchus took on “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical,” the movie adaptation of the Tony-winning stage musical that was adapted from Dahl’s 1988 book with songs by Tim Minchin. This inventive and energetic film premiered in December 2022, with Emma Thompson memorably playing the sadistic schoolmarm Mrs. Trunchbull, and Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough taking on the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, the horrible parents of the brilliant Matilda, played by Alisha Weir. Beautifully choreographed and shot, “Matilda the Musical” is not to be missed. Stream it on Netflix.

Or check out Danny DeVito’s 1996 take on the book, which he directed and starred in as the Wormwoods with Rhea Pearlman, while Mara Wilson took on the Matilda role in the film. Stream it on the Roku Channel or rent it on other digital platforms.

There are two versions of “The Witches” as well, originally made into a film in 1990 by Nicolas Roeg and starring Angelica Huston (stream on MGM+ or rent it elsewhere), and then again in 2020 by Robert Zemeckis, starring Anne Hathaway (rent it on digital platforms).

Steven Spielberg and Wes Anderson have also been captivated by Dahl’s worlds, in different ways.

Spielberg helmed the fantastical live-action film “The BFG” in 2016, using cutting-edge visual effects to capture the world and character of the BFG, played by Mark Rylance. Stream it on Disney+ or rent it elsewhere.

Anderson took a lo-fi approach to “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” in 2009, using stop-motion animation for the film, co-written with Noah Baumbach. The film was nominated for two Oscars. Stream it on Max or rent it elsewhere.

Anderson returned to Dahl’s work in 2023 with a series of live-action shorts, including “The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as “The Swan,” “The Ratcatcher” and “Poison,” starring Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade. Stream them all on Netflix.