Steven Spielberg's BFG to be released in 2016

It looks like Steven Spielberg’s diary is going to be pretty booked up for some time to come, with the release dates of his next two projects now firmly set. We’ll be seeing his take on Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant hitting cinemas in July 2016, while his as yet untitled film set during the Cold War will be arriving a little earlier in October 2015.

The Cold War film is based on the true story of attorney James Donovan who was hired by the CIA in the 1960s to negotiate the release of Gary Powers, a pilot whose plane was shot down behind the Iron Curtain. It’s being scripted by the Coen Brothers, and will star Tom Hanks as Donovan, so with Spielberg at the helm it’ll probably be prime awards material.

Following closely behind will be The BFG, the strange but heartwarming story of a young girl who befriends a big friendly giant, and must then rescue the children of England from giants who aren’t quite so friendly. No casting news on this one yet, but it’s being scripted by Melissa Mathison, of E.T. fame.

Somewhere along the line Spielberg is also supposed to be helming Indiana Jones 5, but presumably we won’t be seeing hide nor hair of that for at least a few years. Particularly if Harrison Ford is needed to reprise his role, as he’s currently tied up with various things, including Star Wars (and a broken ankle).

Anyhow, we’ll be having a bumper few years from Spielberg with an interesting mix of films – which one are you most looking forward to?