The following contains spoilers for Matilda the Musical, now streaming on Netflix.
Plenty of artwork is readapted throughout the years. The beloved story of Matilda Wormwood is no exception to this. The most recent adaptation of this story just dropped on Netflix, and loyal fans of the story may notice a few big differences between Matilda the Musical and its 1996 predecessor, Matilda.
Matilda is a classic family-friendly story with a couple of different adaptations. The novel, the iconic 1996 version, and the most recent Matilda the Musical all follow the same story a little girl named Matilda Wormwood. She's a highly intelligent little tot almost immediately into her life. Unfortunately, her mind is not celebrated by her parents as it should be. Instead, she's misunderstood and neglected by her family. Because of this, the young girl nurtures her own mind so much that she begins to develop telekinesis like a child-friendly Stephen King character. The story mainly follows her as she comes to terms with herself while standing up against awful adults.
Netflix's Matilda Is a Musical
The biggest difference between Matilda the Musical and 1996's Matilda may be shocking to some -- Matilda the Musical is, in fact, a musical. This is in stark contrast to its predecessor. While the '90s cult film features musical interludes and even little dance numbers, it's not a musical. There is no choreographed singing or dancing within the film. Matilda the Musical is derived almost directly from the West-End stage musical of the same name. Considering it's from a stage musical, there are pretty elaborate musical scenes including some incredible choreography.
Matilda the Musical Lacks Legacy Characters, Including Danny DeVito
Unfortunately for fans of the beloved actor, Danny DeVito is not featured in Matilda the Musical. Despite the brilliant cast in the 2022 adaptation, it's definitely hard to let go of the 1996 cast. None of the icons from the 1996 version of Matilda returned to the movie musical. It's reported that Mara Wilson -- the iconic child star of the '90s-- actually turned down a chance to cameo in the new film. Perhaps the most notable absence is the aforementioned Danny DeVito. Not only did DeVito play the cruel but humorous Harry Wormwood, but he took on the role of producer as well. Most fans of the 1996 Matilda will notice the obvious lack of narration from DeVito throughout Matilda the Musical.
Matilda's Family Dynamic Is Different
In Matilda (1996), the titular girl is the second Wormwood child. Her older brother, Michael, is basically a mini version of their dad, Harry. He's responsible for tormenting the young girl in the way big brothers tend to do. However, he is just as neglectful and rude to his sister as his parents are. It's obvious who the golden child of the Wormwood family is, and it's not Matilda. Matilda the Musical actually cuts Michael's character out altogether. In the movie musical, she's an only child. This is not only different from the 1996 movie, but it's different from the stage musical too. This part of the film really makes sense when her mother's situation is taken into account.
Unlike the '90s movie, Matilda the Musical doesn't feature Mrs. Wormwood that much. It's explained that Matilda's mom doesn't know that she's pregnant until she's in labor. Reasonably so, she's spooked by the situation. Unfortunately, though, she's once again not the best mother. She hardly acknowledges her daughter's existence at all. Of course, this is different from the older movie version of Matilda which highlights Mrs. Wormwood as an iconic yet dreadful woman and a good example of a bad mom. With that said though, Matilda the Musical brings a new version of Matilda's parents to light -- and they're just as bad if not worse.
Miss Honey Isn't the Only Good Adult in Matilda the Musical
In the 1996 version of Matilda, Miss Honey is Matilda's only respite. The sweet woman is not only her teacher but ends up adopting her and raising the little girl as her own. Miss Honey as a character pretty much stays the same in Matilda the Musical, but she's not the only adult for Matilda to turn to. Instead, she turns to a librarian. This is something that happens in the 1996 version of the film, as the librarian guides Matilda toward academia and helps in the ways she can. The librarian is just a bigger aspect of Matilda the Musical with Mrs. Phelps. Mrs. Phelps owns a traveling library and is a friendly ear for Matilda to talk to.
The 1996 version of Matilda, Matilda the Musical, and the source novel by Roald Dahl all have their differences. The notable differences between Matilda and the musical version include plot changes, the lack of Danny DeVito, and an obvious shift from the US to the UK. But, despite the differences, both are incredible movies that showcase the incredibility of a unique little girl.
Stream Matilda the Musical, now on Netflix