Anne Hathaway to Star in Film Adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s ‘Verity’

Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway is set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of Colleen Hoover‘s best-selling novel, «Verity,» sources from PEOPLE confirm. The film will see Hathaway portraying the role of Verity Crawford, a famed author unable to continue her novel series following a serious accident.

Hathaway, aged 42, will also serve as one of the producers alongside Hoover, 44, under their respective production banners. This new project reunites Hathaway with director Michael Showalter, who previously directed her in the romance drama «The Idea of You.» Screenwriter Nick Antosca penned the script, following several iterations by Hillary Seitz, Angela LaManna, and others.

The film’s plot centers around Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer enlisted by Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford, to finish a lucrative book series on which Verity had been working before an accident left her incapacitated. Upon her immersion into the Crawford household, Lowen stumbles upon an unfinished manuscript that could reveal disturbing truths about Verity and her family’s history. The characters of Lowen and Jeremy have yet to be cast.

«Verity,» originally self-published in 2018, garnered substantial commercial success, including spending several months on the New York Times best-sellers list and selling over a million copies in 2023 alone. The story has been described by critics as a «gothic, psychosexual thriller,» drawing comparisons to works such as «Rebecca» and «Gone Girl.»

Hoover is currently a sought-after author in Hollywood, primarily due to her novel «It Ends With Us» being adapted into a film starring Blake Lively and directed by Justin Baldoni. The film generated significant box office revenue globally despite its modest budget, although a continuation featuring original cast members is not expected.

In addition to «Verity,» adaptations of other Hoover novels, such as «Reminders of Him» and «Regretting You,» are in progress, with «Reminders of Him» slated for a 2026 release.

For Hathaway, this project adds to an impressive list of forthcoming roles, including appearances in «Mother’s Instinct» with Jessica Chastain, «Mother Mary,» and «Flowervale Street.» Additionally, she is set to reprise her role as Mia Thermopolis in «The Princess Diaries 3.»

Michael Showalter has an extensive background in directing praised films and shows, such as «The Big Sick» and «The Eyes of Tammy Faye,» and is noted for his contributions to television productions like «The Shrink Next Door» and «Search Party.»

The agreement for «Verity» comes as part of Semi-Formal Productions’ collaboration with Amazon MGM, marking another entry in their developing first-look film deal.