Building Dolittle’s Many Worlds of Magic Across England

Hugh Lofting’s original series of Dolittle books, published in the 1920s and 30s, is a perpetually well-loved set of source material for film and television. 1998’s Dr. Dolittle, starring Eddie Murphy, pulled the franchise into the 20th century U.S., but this month, the doctor who can talk to animals returned to his Victorian English roots. Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Dolittle reimagines John as a broken-hearted recluse taking shelter from humanity in a lovely,