EXCLUSIVE: Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum will produce a function movie adaptation of Cult of Love, Leslye Headland‘s darkish comedy play that opened to wonderful opinions on Broadway in December. The movie is presently in improvement underneath the Ferrell-Elbaum banner Gloria Sanchez Productions, with the playwright set to adapt the screenplay and direct.
Headland, who has served as author, director and government producer of Star Wars: The Acolyte for the Disney+ streaming platform and Russian Doll for Netflix, made her Broadway debut with the restricted engagement Second Stage Theater manufacturing of Cult of Love. The Broadway staging reunited Headland with the nonprofit theater that had produced her earlier Off Broadway performs Bachelorette and The Layover.
Cult of Love has its origins in Headland’s “Seven Lethal Performs” collection for the Los Angeles-based IAMA Theatre Firm. First staged at IAMA in 2018, Cult of Love examines the sin of pridefulness as evidenced within the Christmas gathering of a tight-knit, however quick unraveling, Christian family. Secrets and techniques are revealed, prodigals return, intolerances floor and household bonds are examined. By way of all of it, the siblings and oldsters come collectively in rousing vacation music jams.
Casting and extra particulars concerning the movie adaptation are but to be introduced.
The Broadway staging, which was directed by Journey Cullman, started previews on November 20, 2024, opened on December 12 and ended its restricted run February 2. The forged featured Zachary Quinto, Mare Winningham, Shailene Woodley, Molly Bernard, Roberta Colindrez, Barbie Ferreira, Rebecca Henderson, Christopher Lowell, David Rasche and Christopher Sears.
Ferrell and Elbaum are frequent collaborators of Headland, having beforehand produced the movie adaptation of Headland’s Bachelorette which starred Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan and Sleeping with Different Folks starring Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie.
“To be making Cult of Love with Will and Jessica – two producers who champion daring, unapologetic storytelling – is a real inventive homecoming,” mentioned Headland in a press release. “This story has lived in my bones for years, and I can’t wait to deliver it to the display screen with companions who embrace its chaos and coronary heart.”
Stated Elbaum, “Leslye’s voice is singular – darkly humorous, wildly insightful, and deeply human. We couldn’t be extra excited to assist deliver Cult of Love to a wider viewers.”
