Anna Kendrick has been signed to direct Netflix’s film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best-selling novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, per variety.com.
The Oscar-nominated actress and director steps into the role following the consecutive departures of filmmakers Maggie Betts and Leslye Headland from the project, which has faced development delays since Netflix acquired the screen rights in 2022.
The film, based on the 2017 novel, chronicles the life of a fictional, reclusive Old Hollywood icon who selects an unknown journalist to record her final, tell-all interview. The narrative uncovers the scandals, betrayals and reality behind her seven highly publicised marriages.
Deadline first reported Kendrick’s appointment to the production.
Screenwriter Francesca Sloane is currently revising the script, following an initial draft written by Liz Tigelaar. The project is being produced by Liza Chasin for 3Dot Productions and Brad Mendelsohn for Circle Management + Productions. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid will serve as an executive producer alongside Margaret Chernin.
The assignment is Kendrick’s second directorial venture following her debut with the thriller Woman of the Hour, which Netflix acquired at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). No official casting decisions have been announced for the film and a production timeline has yet to be confirmed by the streaming platform.
The project represents the latest high-profile screen adaptation for Reid, whose previous novels Daisy Jones & the Six and One True Loves were both adapted for the screen in 2023. The production remains one of Netflix’s most anticipated literary properties despite its prolonged development cycle.
•Featured image: Anna Kendrick/Amy Sussman/Variety via Getty Images
