Wonder spin-off White Bird is now streaming on Amazon Prime in the UK following some lengthy delays.
Released in 2017 and based on the novel by RJ Palacio, Wonder told the inspiring story of August Pullman, a boy with Treacher Collins Syndrome, which causes deformities of the face, and his attempts to fit it at high school. Written and directed by Perks Of Being A Wallflower scribe Stephen Chbosky and starring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, the film did good business, taking over $300 million on a $20 million budget.
This brings us to White Bird, not a direct sequel but a story set in the same universe, based on the graphic novel novel by Palacio, which was due to be released late last year. Bryce Gheisar played bully Julian in Wonder, and he reprises the role as we see what happened to him after being expelled for his horrific bullying of August.
The official synopsis reads as follows:
For millions of readers and moviegoers, Wonder is the captivating, inspiring, and uplifting story of the power of kindness – how it can build bridges and change hearts. In White Bird: A Wonder Story, kindness has the power to save lives, as Julian Albans, the bully who left Beecher Prep, is visited by his Grandmère from Paris and is transformed by her remarkable story of compassion and courage. As a girl in Nazi-occupied France, the young Grandmère goes into hiding with the help of a schoolmate, a young man who risks everything to give her the chance to survive. Together, they find beauty and love in the secret world of their own creation.
Julian’s grandmother is played by Helen Mirren, while Gillian Anderson, Jo-Stone Fewings, Ariella Glaser and Orlando Schwerdt round out the cast. Replacing Chbosky in the director’s chair is Marc Forster, with the script penned by Mark Bomback.
The film was originally meant to be released in 2022. After being delayed until 2023, the film was delayed yet again following the SAG-AFTRA strike. With no news about a new release date since then, it seems the studio has decided to quietly sneak it out onto streaming services.
White Bird: A Wonder Story is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Watch the trailer below:
