Andrew Garfield Explains Why THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE Is His First Family Film

Andrew Garfield sat down with TODAY to discuss THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE, his new family film based on Enid Blyton's beloved British children's book series. Explaining his motivation for taking on his first movie aimed squarely at kids and families, Garfield told the show, "We need really good tactile, family films right now."

The film, based on Blyton's classic novel, follows Polly, Tim, and their three children as they relocate to the English countryside and discover a magical tree filled with eccentric residents. Garfield stars alongside Claire Foy, marking their second collaboration after 2017's Breathe. Vertical released THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE in U.S. theaters this past summer, and the pair appeared together at a special New York screening ahead of its release.

Garfield also used the TODAY appearance to preview his upcoming role portraying OpenAI founder Sam Altman, describing his interest in the project as tied to larger questions about technology's place in daily life. "I am kind of drawn to the question of how do we live in a balanced way right now with all of these amazing technologies that are being created," he said.

The interview offered a rare pairing of Garfield's family-film debut with a look ahead at a very different kind of role, one rooted in the real-world tech world rather than fantasy. Photos from THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE's New York screening previously captured Garfield and Foy at the event.