Aubrey Plazahas signed on to star in Netflix’s romantic comedyHope, which New Zealand duoJackie van BeekandMadeleine Samiwill direct from a script byKaren McCullahandKirsten “Kiwi” Smith, the esteemed writers ofLegally Blondeand10 Things I Hate About You.
This is hardly official, so don’t quote me on this one, but I believeHopewill be the first movie to hail from a female directing team working off a script from a completely different female writing team. Regardless of the filmmakers' genders, there’s a lot of comedic firepower behind the camera for this one.
Sources tell Collider thatHopeis a romantic comedy about the crazy lengths a woman in her mid-30s is willing to go to when she discovers the perfect man. The script is said to address the societal pressure that women face to find a partner and settle down, and it gained renewed momentum around town following a Black List Live! reading in late 2017.
Plaza read the lead in that production, and she was joined byGlen Powell,Alanna Ubach,David Krumholtz,Nicholas D’Agosto,Camille Hyde, and narratorMamrie Hart. No word on whether any of them will be joining Plaza in the movie, which theParks & Recreationalum is also producing along withMichael CostiganandJason Batemanof Aggregate Films, as well asLundi ShackletonandPhilippe Palaciosof Les Espoirs Pictures.
Sami and van Beek are the team behind the indie comedyThe Breaker Upperers, which they co-wrote, directed and starred in, and which premiered on Netflix in February, makingHopesomething of a reunion.Taika WaititiproducedThe Breaker Upperersunder his Piki Films banner, and the film debuted at SXSW in 2018.
McCullah and Smith are two of the most prolific comedy writers in Hollywood, with credits ranging fromLegally Blondeand10 Things I Hate About YoutoThe House Bunny,The Ugly TruthandShe’s the Man. They’re currently working onParty Girlsfor Paramount and producerTodd Garner, and they’re also writing theSpice Girlsmovie for Paramount Animation.
Plaza recently starred in theChild’s Playreboot and wrapped the final season ofNoah Hawley’s FX seriesLegion. She turned heads with her committed performance inIngrid Goes West, and she’ll soon be seen alongsideChristopher Abbottin the indie movieBlack Bear. She’s represented by CAA and MGMT Entertainment, while UTA reps the directors. As for the writers, McCullah is repped by Jaret Entertainment and Smith is repped by Verve. Deadline broke the news.
