Anna Kendrick Directs Netflix's "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" Adaptation

Anna Kendrick has been appointed to direct the Netflix film adaptation of "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," the acclaimed bestseller that gained significant popularity on social media book communities. The streaming service announced the project in 2022, but production details remained unclear until now. Kendrick's directorial role represents her second feature film as a director.

About the Project

The film centres on Monique Grant, a reporter who receives an extraordinary assignment: interviewing the reclusive Hollywood legend Evelyn Hugo after years away from public life. Through their conversations, Grant discovers Hugo's journey from aspiring actress to a figure entangled in multiple marriages and numerous untold stories. The narrative explores both Hugo's rise through Hollywood's golden age and the complex personal secrets that define her legacy.

Taylor Jenkins Reid's 2017 novel, which became a New York Times bestseller, drew inspiration from the lives of classic Hollywood figures including Elizabeth Taylor—married eight times—as well as actresses Ava Gardner and Rita Hayworth. Reid has explained that Ava Gardner's posthumously published memoir sparked her creative vision for crafting an entire narrative around a fictional Hollywood icon's life story.

Production Status

Liz Tigelaar completed the initial screenplay draft, with Francesca Sloane currently working on revisions. No casting announcements or release date has been disclosed at this time. The project has generated significant fan speculation regarding potential cast members; however, actress Jessica Chastain ruled out involvement, telling media outlets in 2023 that there was no possibility she would take on the role of Celia St. James, Hugo's red-haired rival.

Kendrick's Directorial Career

Prior to this appointment, Kendrick directed and starred in the thriller "Woman of the Hour," which examined a woman whose dating game show appearance turns sinister when she is matched with a serial killer. Her transition into directing demonstrates an expanding creative scope beyond her established acting career.