Netflix’s long-awaited The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo movie finally has a major new name behind the camera.
Anna Kendrick has signed on to direct the adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel, giving one of Netflix’s most watched book-to-screen projects its clearest sign of movement in years. Netflix confirmed Kendrick’s involvement on Monday, June 1, after years of fan speculation about when the adaptation would move forward.
The update does not include casting yet, which may be the part readers most want. But Kendrick’s arrival gives the project a director, a revised script process, and a clearer path after a long development stretch.
Kendrick Is Directing After Woman of the Hour
Kendrick’s new job follows her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, the true-crime thriller she also starred in for Netflix.
People confirmed that Kendrick will next direct The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, with Deadline first reporting the news. The move keeps Kendrick in business with Netflix and puts her in charge of a project with a much bigger built-in readership than a typical streaming drama.
The script was written by Liz Tigelaar, whose credits include Little Fires Everywhere and Casual. Netflix said Francesca Sloane, known for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Atlanta, and Fargo, is handling current revisions.
Taylor Jenkins Reid will executive produce the adaptation. Liza Chasin is producing for 3dot Productions, with Brad Mendelsohn for Circle Management + Productions and David Hinojosa also producing.
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The Story Follows a Hollywood Legend With Seven Marriages
Reid’s 2017 novel follows Evelyn Hugo, an aging Hollywood star who chooses a young journalist named Monique Grant to write her life story.
What begins as a long-awaited interview becomes a confession about Evelyn’s rise through old Hollywood, her seven marriages, the scandals attached to her public image, and the private truth behind the person she loved most. Netflix describes the film as following Evelyn as she pulls back the curtain on Hollywood scandals, betrayals, and secrets that shaped her life.
The book has become one of Reid’s defining works. People reported that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has sold more than 24 million copies worldwide in 43 languages, which helps explain why every update about the movie turns into a fan event.
The adaptation was first announced at Netflix in March 2022. Since then, the biggest public conversation has not been about plot. It has been about casting.
No One Has Been Cast Yet
Netflix’s update makes one thing clear: Kendrick is directing, but the movie still has not announced its cast.
That matters because Evelyn Hugo has generated years of fan-casting. People noted that readers have suggested actors including Ana de Armas, Eiza González, Sofia Vergara, and Salma Hayek for Evelyn. Jessica Chastain was also a popular fan choice for Celia St. James, but she later made clear she was not attached to the project.
Netflix’s Tudum page says there is currently no word on who will play Evelyn, Monique, or any of the seven husbands.
That keeps the most explosive part of the adaptation still ahead. Kendrick’s hiring answers the director question, but it does not settle the casting debate that has followed the book for years.
The Movie Is Moving, but It Still Has No Release Date
Netflix also has not announced a release date for The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
The streamer said Kendrick’s signing means the film is getting ready to enter production, but did not give a production start date or premiere window. People also reported that no release date has been set.
That leaves the adaptation in a more promising place without making it feel finished. The movie has a director, a script in revision, producers attached, and Reid involved as an executive producer. The next major headline will be the one readers have been waiting on since 2022: who gets to play Evelyn Hugo.