Andrew Garfield | Photo credit: MIKE BLAKE

Actors Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Jennifer Saunders, Hiran Abeysekera and Pippa Bennett-Warner have joined the cast of the film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Tree,” reported Diversity. The cast also includes Nicola Coughlan, Jess Gunning, Nonso Anozie, Dustin Demri Jones, Mark Heap, Oliver Chris, Lenny Henry, Simon Russell Beale and Michael Palin.

The film is based on Blyton’s “The Faraway Tree” series and follows the Thompson family as they move to the English countryside and discover a mystical tree. The fantastic tree’s inhabitants transport visitors to faraway lands, setting the stage for a series of whimsical adventures. “The Faraway Tree” is a series of popular children’s novels by British author Enid Blyton.

The titles of the series are The Magic Forest (1939), The Magic Tree (1943), The People of the Magic Tree (1946) And On the Distant Tree (1951). Saunders has been cast as the children’s grandmother, Abeysekera as the angry pixie and Bennett-Warner as Hannah, the grandmother’s assistant. Newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon and Phoenix Laroche will play the Thompson children.

Filming began in the south of England at Shinfield Studios in Reading. The film is written by Simon Farnaby and directed by Ben Gregor. Producers include Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown of Neal Street Productions, Danny Perkins of the Elysian Film Group and Jane Hooks.

Harris said: “Just when we thought our cast couldn’t get any more exciting, these incredibly talented actors have joined us. I know they will bring wit, wonder and warmth to their performances and we are thrilled to have them join us on this magical adventure.”