Mara Wilson has left the door open to a Matilda sequel, but she is not pretending it would be easy. The actor, who became closely associated with the 1996 film as a child, said a follow-up is “possible” while also acknowledging there are “some issues” that would need to be worked through.
That is not exactly a green light. It is more of a careful glance at the light switch, which is probably the correct level of caution when discussing a return to a film many people remember with unusual intensity.
Why a return to Matilda is complicated
Wilson played Matilda Wormwood in the 1996 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel, directed by Danny DeVito. The film followed a brilliant, neglected girl who discovers telekinetic powers and finds safety with her teacher, Miss Honey.
Over time, the movie has become a childhood staple that people revisit with affection and, occasionally, a worrying ability to quote entire scenes. Its emotional appeal is simple: Matilda is a child who is underestimated, mistreated, and still finds a way to protect herself and the people she loves.
That is also why a sequel would be delicate. Any new version would have to satisfy viewers who grew up with the original while also making sense for a new audience. Nostalgia is useful, but it is not a screenplay.
What Mara Wilson has actually said
Wilson’s comments are cautious rather than promotional. She said a sequel is “possible,” but added that there are “some issues.” That wording matters because it suggests she is not dismissing the idea outright, but she also is not selling fans a finished project.
Those issues could include the usual practical questions around rights, story, tone, casting, and whether returning to the character would add anything meaningful. The original film also has a very specific place in pop culture, which makes any follow-up both attractive and risky.
Wilson has built an adult career that has often involved looking thoughtfully at what child stardom means, rather than simply replaying it for applause. So her guarded answer fits. She appears to understand why people ask, and also why the answer cannot just be, “Sure, why not?”
The Matilda story has already had a second life
The world of Matilda has not exactly been sitting untouched. Dahl’s story inspired the stage musical Matilda the Musical, which later became a 2022 screen adaptation starring Alisha Weir as Matilda and Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull.
That version introduced the story to a new generation, while the 1996 film remained its own distinct thing. The musical leaned into songs and theatrical scale; DeVito’s film had a darker, oddball warmth that many viewers still connect with.
A sequel to the 1996 movie would therefore not be the only modern Matilda project. It would be a return to a specific interpretation, with a specific former child star at its emotional center. That is a narrower, and more sensitive, proposition.
Why audiences still care
The continued interest in Wilson’s thoughts says as much about the audience as it does about the movie. People are not just asking for another chapter because studios love familiar titles, although they certainly do. They are asking because Matilda represented escape, intelligence, and justice for children who felt powerless.
A sequel would need to decide what an adult Matilda means. Is she a teacher? A parent? Someone still carrying the damage of her childhood? Those questions could support a thoughtful follow-up, if handled carefully. They could also become a clumsy nostalgia exercise, if handled less carefully.
For now, Wilson’s position seems clear: not impossible, not imminent, and not simple. That may not be the answer fans hoped for, but it is probably the honest one.
