Emma Thompson Is Unrecognizable as Miss Trunchbull in ‘Matilda’ Trailer

Emma Thompson has fully transformed into the villainous Miss Trunchbull in the first full-length trailer for Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical. In the two-minute teaser dropped Thursday, Matilda fans can see the nearly-unrecognizable Oscar winner as the foil to Alisha Weir’s titular Matilda Wormwood and her caring teacher Miss Honey, played by Lashana Lynch.

Based on the 1988 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, Matilda The Musical follows the story of Matilda, a very special young girl who escapes her horrible home life through the magic of reading and the encouragement of her inspiring teacher Miss Honey. Sent to school at Crunchem Hall, Matilda’s love for learning is dampened when she learns the school is like a prison for children led by the evil Miss Trunchbull.

Matilda’s imagination and love of learning are the focus of the front half of the trailer before the little girl realizes exactly how abusive and terrible Crunchem Hall truly is. Thompson’s Trunchbull delights in punishing the children who attend, whether it be in the way of the infamous chocolate cake scene or by hurling a child over the fence by the pigtails. But Matilda isn’t intimidated by Trunchbull’s imposing ways, even as Miss Honey begs her to be careful around the “dangerous” headmistress. She promises her teacher in the trailer that she’s just as dangerous as she begins to show off her telekinetic abilities. “Matilda, your mind is extraordinary,” Miss Honey proclaims in awe.

Matilda the Musical recently premiered at the London Film Festival, where it garnered a perfect 100% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is led by acclaimed theater director Matthew Warchus, who previously won a Tony Award for his production of God of Carnage and an Olivier Award for the Royal Shakespeare Company Matilda adaptation, which broke records across West End and Broadway. Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical premieres in theaters in the U.K. and Ireland on Nov. 25 via Sony Pictures UK/TriStar Pictures before hitting select U.S. theaters on Dec. 9 and finally making its Netflix debut on Dec. 25.