Anne Hathaway may be joining Dee Rees’ upcoming Joan Didion adaptation. Variety reports that the Oscar winner is in negotiations to topline political thriller “The Last Thing He Wanted.” Published in 1996, the best-seller follows a Washington Post journalist who becomes involved in the world of arms dealing.
The pic will be produced by Elevated’s Cassian Elwes and The Fyzz Facility’s Wayne Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones, and is currently in pre-production. Marco Villalobos penned the script.
Hathaway won an Oscar for her role in “Les Misérables” and received a nom for “Rachel Getting Married.” “Colossal,” “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” and “The Intern” are among her recent credits. The actress’ upcoming projects include star-studded heist pic “Ocean’s 8,” “The Lifeboat,” the story of a shipwreck survivor from “Mustang” writer-director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, and “O2,” a thriller about a woman who wakes up in a cryogenic chamber.
In 2017 Hathaway spoke candidly about how internalized misogyny influenced her experience working with “One Day” helmer Lone Scherfig. “I really regret not trusting her more easily,” she acknowledged. “And I am to this day scared that the reason I didn’t trust her the way I trust some of the other directors I work with is because she’s a woman.” The “Princess Diaries” star explained, “I’m so scared that I treated her with internalized misogyny. I’m scared that I didn’t give her everything that she needed or . . . I was resisting her on some level. It’s something that I’ve thought a lot about in terms of when I get scripts to be directed by women.”
Rees’ latest, “Mudbound,” is up for four awards at the upcoming Oscars, including best adapted screenplay. Rachel Morrison, the film’s DP, became the first woman in Academy Awards history to receive a nod for cinematography. Mary J. Blige is in the running for two honors — best supporting actress and best original song. Set in rural Mississippi, the story follows two young men, one black (Jason Mitchell) and one white (Garrett Hedlund), as they return from WWII to work on a farm.
“Mudbound” actress Carey Mulligan is set to re-team with Rees for “An Uncivil War,” a drama about Gloria Steinem and others’ fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Rees is also working on a horror movie about a black lesbian couple living in a rural town.
Rees’ previous credits include “Bessie” and “Pariah.”
