Cornwall in the U.K. was the location of several family summer vacations I went on when I was younger, so the setting of theJacqueline WilsonnovelFour Children and Itis very familiar. In the movie adaptation,Four Kids and It,the incredible Wicklow coastline in the Republic of Ireland is standing in as the Cornish location. Earlier this year, a few other reporters and I took the one-hour journey from Dublin to the stunning County Wicklow location where the cast — includingMatthew GoodeandPaula Patton— were shooting interiors for the family adventure film.
Four Kids and Ittells the story of a vacation that doubles as an opportunity for new couple Alice (Patton) and David (Goode) to introduce their kids to each other — both have two children from previous relationships. What could go wrong? Bringing two different families together is not a simple task, but when the kids stumble upon a magical Psammead creature called It (voiced byMichael Caine) a bond begins to form.
As with the 1902 E. Nesbitt classicFive Children and It— that Wilson used as inspiration for her 2012 novel — the Psammead grants wishes; however these wishes only last for a day, so they have to pick wisely. Matters are made even more treacherous when their secret is discovered by an eccentric local (played byRussell Brand) who wants to steal the Psammead for his own personal gain.
It is fitting thatFour Kids and Itis being shot during the summer vacation, as when the Irish weather rapidly switched between pouring rain and beautiful sunshine it gave me flashbacks to my own childhood trips to Cornwall. The Wicklow and Cornwall coastlines are visually similar; producerAnne Broganexplained this doubling was made for as much for logistical and financial reasons. Throughout the afternoon we got to talk with the cast, producers, and directorAndy De Emmonyas well as watching a scene getting filmed in the gorgeous vacation. If this place was on Airbnb I would be booking it this instant.
Four Kids and Itwon’t hit theaters for a while, but in the meantime here are some of the things I learned on set about this magical world that De Emmony wants to ground in reality.
Four Kids and Itis likely to be released in 2019.
