The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is finally moving. Netflix has confirmed that Anna Kendrick will direct the long-awaited film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel, ending years of speculation and creative shifts for one of the most anticipated projects in BookTok history.
The novel, published in 2017, follows a young journalist’s exclusive interview with Evelyn Hugo, an ageing and intensely private Hollywood starlet who decides to reveal the truth behind her seven marriages — and the lifelong love story at the centre of her life that she has never made public. It has sold more than 24 million copies worldwide and helped establish Reid as one of the most commercially powerful novelists of her generation.
Kendrick brings her own lens
For Kendrick, the appointment is a significant step forward. Her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, earned strong critical notices and demonstrated a confident, precise sensibility behind the camera. Directing Evelyn Hugo places her at the helm of a major studio priority with an enormous audience expectation attached.
The script has been handled by Liz Tigelaar, who wrote Little Fires Everywhere, with revisions currently being done by Francesca Sloane, known for her work on Mr and Mrs Smith and Atlanta. Reid herself is involved as an executive producer. The producing team includes Liza Chasin, Brad Mendelsohn and David Hinojosa.
No casting has been announced. The internet, predictably, has its own opinions — with Ana de Armas and Eiza Gonzalez among the names most frequently discussed for the lead role. What is confirmed is that the project is actively moving, the creative team is in place, and one of the most beloved novels of the past decade is heading toward screens.
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