Anna Kendrick, who made her directorial debut with the critically acclaimed true crime thriller Woman of the Hour, is set to direct a Netflix adaptation of the beloved novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The book, written by Taylor Jenkins Reid and published in 2017, was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction and has become a viral social media sensation.
The Story
The novel is structured into seven parts, each named after one of Evelyn Hugo's husbands, chronicling her life through marriages and affairs. The film adaptation will follow a young journalist's long-awaited interview with the aging Hollywood starlet, who reveals shocking truths about her life, including scandals, betrayals, and heartbreak. According to Deadline, the story pulls back the curtain on Evelyn's seven marriages, unveiling secrets that affect everyone around her.
Fans have praised the book as "one of the most remarkable novels I have ever read" and "a favourite of all time." The adaptation has been in development at Netflix since 2022, with Kendrick becoming the third director attached to the project. The script is written by Liz Tigelaar, known for her work as showrunner on Little Fires Everywhere and as a writer for Once Upon a Time, Revenge, and Nashville.
Kendrick's Directorial Debut
Woman of the Hour, Kendrick's first directorial effort, was released on Netflix in 2024 and received a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, inspired by the crimes of serial killer Rodney Alcala, stars Kendrick as an aspiring actress who crosses paths with the killer after they appear on an episode of The Dating Game in 1970s Los Angeles. Fans described it as "unsettling" and "one of the most chilling true crime thrillers on Netflix."
Kendrick has not yet commented on the upcoming project but previously shared her approach to directing: "My favourite thing about making my first movie was that every person from every department that I interacted with, I got to say to them, 'This is the first time I've done this once, and it's with you.' I led with being vulnerable about what I didn't know and needed to learn."
Woman of the Hour is currently streaming on Netflix, while The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is coming soon.
