Kids born in the 90s will vividly remember Matilda, the story of a young girl born with psychokinetic powers navigating the challenges of a difficult family and an even more difficult school principal. Now, nearly three decades later, there are whispers that a reunion is on the horizon.
Danny DeVito, the American actor who played Matilda’s father, recently disclosed plans for a reunion event in an interview with The Messenger, saying, “Mara and I were planning to perform Matilda live with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra just before the strike hit. We had it all set, but after the strike hit, we couldn’t proceed because it would be seen as a promotion for a movie.”
Nonetheless, the 78-year-old actor asserted that Matilda in Concert was still in the works, stating, “However, we’re still planning to do that. We’re going to watch the movie with David Newman’s score and try to do it sometime soon, as it seems the strike may be coming to an end – I hope!”
Mara Wilson, who stepped away from the limelight in 2001, has been relatively quiet in the film industry. Following her 12-year hiatus, during which she transitioned to writing, Wilson returned to the acting scene in 2012, appearing mainly in web series.
Reflecting on her time as a child actor, Wilson once mentioned the weight of constantly being in the public eye, saying, “People don’t realize how much constantly talking to the press as a child weighs on you. When you have fans, you can no longer be yourself when you’re out in public. I saw that they were disappointed that I wasn’t as smart, pretty, nice as they expect you to be. I think they were expecting me to be Matilda, and she’s wonderful, but she’s not real.”
The film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved novel made its debut in theaters in 1996. Though it didn’t exactly turn out to be a blockbuster, the film found its audience in home entertainment, and quickly made up for its dismal box office performance.
Matilda soon garnered a cult following, spawning countless memes on social media and a musical adaptation that was released on Netflix last year.
The Matilda in Concert event, which was originally scheduled for September 9, has yet to receive a new premiere date.
