Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we've seen a number of films originally earmarked for a cinema release head straight to streaming services - and the latest movie to fall into this category is The Secret Garden.
The film, based on the classic children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett (which was previously made into a successful film of the same name in 1993), will debut on Sky Cinema in the UK after several delays to its planned August cinema release, it has been revealed.
The Secret Garden will launch on Sky on October 23rd, and will also be available on Now TV via the Sky Cinema Pass.
Sarah Wright, director of Sky Cinema and acquisitions at Sky UK and Ireland, said of the news, "At Sky, we want to showcase the very best films, and we’re thrilled to provide The Secret Garden with the perfect home on Sky Cinema."
The film boasts a stellar cast including Dixie Egerickx (The Little Stranger), Amir Wilson (His Dark Materials), Colin Firth and Julie Walters, while National Treasure pair Marc Munden and Jack Thorne have teamed up to direct and write the film respectively.
It tells the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her uncle. She discovers a beautiful garden and a local boy who helps her understand the garden's secrets.
The official plot synopsis reads, "Mary begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly after chancing upon her cousin Colin (Edan Hayhurst), who has been shut away unwell in a wing of the house.
"Mary discovers a wondrous garden and meets a local boy, Dickon who helps her fix stray dog Hector’s injured leg using the garden’s restorative powers.
"The three children adventure deep into the mysteries of the garden – a magical place that will change their lives forever."
The announcement follows news that Disney plans to release the live-action version of Mulan in a split strategy –with the film becoming available via Disney+ from 4th September.
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