It doesn’t end with “It Ends with Us”
New Colleen Hoover book to film adaptation has audiences anxious… Are we going to witness another Blake Lively flop?
Images courtesy of Flickr
Colleen Hoover’s psychological thriller Verity is making its way to the big screen, with a star-studded cast and a gripping storyline that promises to captivate audiences. Set for release on May 15, 2026, the film adaptation is generating significant buzz among fans and critics alike.
It ends with us, released last year caused a stir amongst fans as well as turmoil within the cast. Many fans emphasised how inaccurate the movie was, how the character of Lily Bloom shouldn’t have been played by Blake Lively as well as other cast members not aligning with the book. As a fan of these books myself I have a lot more hopes for when it comes to the next installment, Verity.
Directed by Michael Showalter, known for his work on The Big Sick, Verity boasts a compelling cast. Dakota Johnson takes on the role of Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who is hired to complete the book series of the incapacitated author Verity Crawford. Josh Hartnett portrays Jeremy Crawford, Verity’s husband, while Anne Hathaway steps into the enigmatic role of Verity herself. The narrative unfolds as Lowen discovers a hidden manuscript revealing dark secrets that blur the lines between reality and fiction.
Image courtesy of Flickr
In an interview with an avid fan of Colleen Hoover, Hannah Veale, she stated “I’m hoping that this new film from Colleen Hoover will be better than It Ends with us. Although I loved the book, I knew there was so much wrong with the film just from the cast, when people want a book to film adaptation, they want it as accurate as possible to the original concept.” She then added “I love Anne Hathaway, so I think she’d make a perfect Verity and I do believe Dakota Johnson is a good actress so hopefully they exceed expectations”.
With teasers and behind the scenes all over social media, we are seeing that this adaptation is already so much more promising. Anne Hathaway herself even posted a TikTok hinting that she’s read the book, transitioning to the script, captioning the video “So be it… that’s a wrap on the #VerityMovie production…”. With the top comment of the video being “please don’t disappoint us! Blake did that already.” Filming in New York City earlier this year, with on-set photos capturing intense scenes, including one where Johnson’s character is seen splattered with fake blood, we are already getting a glimpse of the film’s suspenseful and thrilling elements.
Although many fans didn’t like Hoover’s previous adaption, the movie grossed $350 million worldwide. However, Verity distinguishes itself with its darker, more complex narrative, potentially appealing to a broader audience beyond Hoover’s established fan base. As the release date approaches, expectations are high for Verity to deliver a compelling cinematic experience that does justice to Hoover’s gripping novel. With a talented cast and a seasoned director at the helm, the film is poised to be a standout in the psychological thriller genre.
