“The School For Good and Evil” books follow two teen girls living in a fairytale-like world who are enrolled in the titular school, which is divided into two parts. One school trains would-be heroes, while the other educates villains in training. Princess-like Sophie seems like a shoo-in for the School of Good, while witchy Agatha appears to be School of Evil material. Yet somehow, the girls’ invitations seem to get swapped, leading them to pursue adventures outside of their comfort zone with the help of dashing love interests, magical educators, and each other.
The Netflix adaptation of the series has a ton of star power behind it, particularly when it comes to casting the teachers at The School For Good and Evil. “Scandal” star Kerry Washington plays Professor Dovey, while “Mad Max: Fury Road” star Charlize Theron is Lady Lesso. Meanwhile, “The Matrix” actor Laurence Fishburne plays The School Master and Michelle Yeoh, who shined in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” this year, is Professor Anemone. I’m not saying this series wants to be an American “Harry Potter,” but I am saying this cast seems built to last for more than one movie, and to hook adult viewers as well as kids.
Two up-and-coming actors have landed the lead roles in the movie. Sofia Wylie, who plays Gina in “High School Musical: The Musical – The Series,” plays Agatha. Sophia Anne Caruso, who played Lydia on Broadway’s “Beetlejuice,” takes on the role of Sophie. The pair didn’t appear in the glimpses of the film that popped up in Netflix’s 2022 original film preview back in February, but it did offer a glimpse at some of the totally-not-like-“Harry Potter” creature-and-set design for the film.
