Following her breakout hit directorial debut in this year’s Booksmart, Olivia Wilde has already set her next project with the psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, for which she will both direct and star. According to Deadline, the project has sparked a bidding war amongst studios in Hollywood.
RELATED: Olivia Wilde & Jon Hamm Board Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell
The film, originally written Carey and Shane Van Dyke is described as “A psychological thriller about a 1950s housewife whose reality begins to crack, revealing a disturbing truth underneath.” It’s also described as a pertinent story for the Time’s Up era and Wilde’s producing and writing collaborator Katie Silberman will rewrite the script and produce the film alongside Wilde and Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee.
Wilde made her directorial debut on the coming-of-age high school comedy Booksmart, which hit theaters earlier this year and was a major critical success, earning rave reviews for its fresh comedy, chemistry between leads Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) and Beanie Feldstein (Neighbors 2) and for Wilde’s direction, currently maintaining a 97% “Certified Fresh” approval rating from critics on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes and was a modest box office success, grossing $23 million on a $6 million budget.
Written by Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins with current revisions by Katie Silberman, the film was an unfiltered comedy, told from a wildly original, fresh modern perspective, about high school best friends and the bonds we create that last a lifetime. Capturing the spirit of our times, the film is a coming of age story for a new generation.
The story follows two academic superstars and best friends (Feldstein and Dever) who, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
RELATED: Annapurna Television Producing Limited Series on College Admissions Scandal
Booksmart stars Feldstein and Dever, with Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte and Mike O’Brien also joining the ensemble cast comprised of rising new talent, including Molly Gordon, Billie Lourd, Skyler Gisondo, Noah Galvin, Diana Silvers, Mason Gooding, Victoria Ruesga, Austin Crute, Eduardo Franco, and Nico Hiraga.
(Photo Credit: Backgrid Images)
