Chase Sui Wonders, known for her performances in The Studio and Bodies Bodies Bodies, is in talks to join A24’s upcoming comedy Goblin, directed by David Mikalson. Expected to begin production next year, the R-rated film will combine live-action performances with practical puppetry and is being pitched as Ted meets E.T.. Wonders could join an ensemble featuring Will Forte and Skyler Gisondo, while Oscar winner Sir Kenneth Branagh is attached to voice the film’s central goblin character.
Beyond its unusual premise, the project has an interesting backstory involving a filmmaker who spent his own savings building the creature before attracting the attention of Hollywood studios.
Goblin centres on a young man whose family has been keeping a medieval Italian goblin for a thousand years. The creature has the ability to make the family’s dreams come true, but there is a condition: someone must fulfil one of its requests every day. Skyler Gisondo plays the human character who becomes the goblin’s best friend.
The film is being developed as an R-rated buddy comedy, combining crude humour with a fantastical premise. Its comparison to Ted and E.T. offers an indication of the unusual friendship at its centre, although Goblin takes that familiar setup in a considerably more unconventional direction.
One of the project’s most distinctive features is its approach to the title character. Rather than relying on computer-generated imagery, Mikalson is bringing the goblin to life through a practical puppet, described as an anatomically correct green creature. During a conversation with A24, Gisondo revealed that operating the puppet can require approximately 12 puppeteers working together. The physical character is therefore an integral part of the filmmaking process rather than simply another visual effect.
The journey behind Goblin is almost as unusual as its premise. Writer-director David Mikalson, a film-school dropout from Washington state, independently developed the project and invested his own money in building the physical goblin puppet. He wanted to demonstrate that his idea could work on screen rather than relying solely on a written screenplay or digital designs.
Building the creature came at a significant personal cost. Mikalson reportedly spent every cent he had on the puppet and was left broke before finding financial backing. However, his screenplay and the physical proof of his concept began attracting considerable interest in Hollywood.
The filmmaker reportedly attended more than 100 general meetings with industry executives as studios competed for the project. A24 eventually secured the film, agreeing to finance its development with a reported budget of upwards of $6 million. The deal gave Mikalson an opportunity to turn his independently developed idea into a feature film while retaining the practical creature that inspired the project.
The casting of Sir Kenneth Branagh brings another unexpected element to the comedy. The acclaimed Shakespearean actor and Academy Award winner will provide the voice of the crude goblin, a character quite different from the dramatic roles audiences usually associate with him.
Will Forte and Skyler Gisondo are also part of the human ensemble, with Gisondo playing the goblin’s closest human companion. Wonders is the latest name linked to the project, although her casting remains in negotiations and has not been officially finalised. The film would mark another collaboration between Wonders and A24 following her involvement in Bodies Bodies Bodies and her upcoming thriller Slayground, scheduled to arrive in theatres on January 29, 2027. Her recent work in the Emmy-winning series The Studio has further strengthened her profile. Production is planned for next year, and Goblin brings together an unusual practical-effects concept, an experienced comedy cast and a filmmaker who invested his own money in creating the central character. Its combination of live-action performances and an elaborate puppet gives the project a distinct identity. If Wonders officially joins the cast, she will become part of a comedy taking an unconventional approach to bringing a fantastical creature to the big screen.
