WithStar Warsfirmly in her rear-view mirror,Daisy Ridleyis set to play long-distance swimmerTrudy EderleinYoung Woman and the Sea, whichJoachim Rønningwill direct for Disney+.
Deadline broke the news on Wednesday, but trust me when I say that Ridley has been attached to this project foryears… it just never got off the ground before now. That’s because it was trapped at Paramount, which finally put it into turnaround, allowing producerJerry Bruckheimerto bring it to Disney. The studio now hopes to start production before next summer, according to Deadline’s report.
Jeff Nathansonadapted the book byGlenn Stout, which chronicled the daring journey of the first woman to ever make the 21-mile swim across the English Channel way back in 1926.
Ederle was a competitive swimmer from Manhattan who won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics before deciding to swim across the English Channel, financing her quest by selling her story to two different newspapers. Only five men had finished the perilous journey before Ederle, who prepared by swimming 22 miles from Battery Park in New York to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. She was honored with a parade upon her return to New York, though this Disney+ movie will be the first time her empowering story has been told.
Bruckheimer will produce alongsideChad Oman, and the film will mark a Disney reunion for everyone, as Ridley has led the studio’sStar Warsfranchise for the last several years, while Rønning directed 2017’sPirates of the Caribbean; Dead Men Tell No Tales,which was written by Nathanson and produced by Bruckheimer.
Meanwhile,Sea’s executive producer Nathanson is alsowriting the nextLion KingmovieforBarry Jenkinsto direct, while Rønning also directedMaleficent: Mistress of Evilfor the studio. He’s particularly well-suited to direct this film given his experience shooting on the water as one of the directors of the excellent 2012 movieKon-Tiki.
Ridley is attached to more than a half-dozen projects around town, they she’ll soon be seen oppositeTom Hollandin the sci-fi movieChaos Walking, and you canclick hereto watch a trailer for that long-delayed film.
