A Monster Calls
2016 dark fantasy drama film by J. A. Bayona · Released September 9, 2016
A Monster Calls is a 2016 dark fantasy drama film directed by J. A. Bayona and starring Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, and Liam Neeson. Featuring a screenplay adapted by Patrick Ness from his own 2011 novel of the same name, the film follows a boy grappling with his mother's terminal illness who is visited and told stories by a giant anthropomorphic yew tree. The film rights to Ness' novel were acquired by Focus Features in March 2014, after which he was hired as screenwriter and Bayona signed on as director. Jones was cast that April, Fanny joined the film in May, and the rest of the main roles were cast by September.
Cast ages when filming began (September 30, 2014)
- Felicity Jones, as Conor's mother: 30
- Sigourney Weaver, as Grandma: 64
- Toby Kebbell, as Conor's father: 32
- Geraldine Chaplin, as the principal at Conor's school: 70
- Lewis MacDougall, as Conor O'Malley: 12
- Liam Neeson, as the Monster: 62