Anna Kendrick to direct Evelyn Hugo

Anna Kendrick has been hired to direct Netflix’s adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” according to reports published June 1 and June 2. The move gives the long-developing project a new director after several years of changes around the film. Netflix announced the adaptation in March 2022, when it said Liz Tigelaar would write the screenplay and Taylor Jenkins Reid would serve as an executive producer. As of June 3, no cast has been announced for Evelyn Hugo or Monique Grant. ### How new is this update on the Netflix movie? June 1 was the first day trade outlets reported Kendrick’s involvement. Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kendrick had come aboard to direct, and NBC Washington and Today.com followed with reports confirming the hiring. Netflix’s Tudum site also published an updated project page naming Kendrick as director. (today.com) Anna Kendrick’s hiring is the clearest public step on the film in months. Earlier coverage had focused on the adaptation’s slow development rather than production milestones, and the new reporting shifts attention back to who is steering the movie creatively. ### What exactly is “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”? Taylor Jenkins Reid published the novel in 2017. (deadline.com) Netflix and multiple entertainment outlets describe it as the story of reclusive Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, who chooses an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to tell the story of her life, career and seven marriages. Today.com said the book follows Monique after she receives what the outlet called the “assignment of the century”: an interview with Evelyn, who is ready to tell her story after years out of public view. (today.com) Netflix’s original announcement used similar language in describing the setup for the feature adaptation. ### Why is Kendrick’s name notable here? (about.netflix.com) Kendrick previously made her feature directorial debut with “Woman of the Hour,” a Netflix film in which she also starred. Several outlets framed “Evelyn Hugo” as her next directing job for the streamer, making this a reunion with Netflix after that earlier project. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” would be Kendrick’s second film as a director, according to UPI and Today.com. (today.com) That detail matters because the project has been attached to other filmmakers before arriving at Kendrick. ### What happened to the earlier version of the project? March 24, 2022, was the date Netflix announced the adaptation with Liz Tigelaar writing the script. (today.com) Since then, later coverage has described the film as having gone through multiple creative changes, though Netflix has not publicly detailed each shift in the materials reviewed. Variety and The Week reported that Maggie Betts and Leslye Headland had at different times been attached to direct before leaving the project. (upi.com) Those reports described Kendrick as the latest filmmaker to take over the adaptation. ### Has Netflix announced Evelyn Hugo’s cast yet? No casting has been announced for the title role. Today.com said there was still no word on who would play Evelyn Hugo, and Netflix’s Tudum page says the cast has not yet been revealed. (about.netflix.com) The next concrete update is likely to come from Netflix or Tudum, where the company has been posting official project details. (variety.com) As of June 3, the named participants publicly attached to the film are Kendrick as director, Tigelaar as writer, and Reid as executive producer. (netflix.com) (today.com)