Though he's usually been known for directing comedies, Paul Feig is switching things up for a thriller adaptation called A Simple Favour. But in keeping with his more recent tradition of strong female casts, he has Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in talks to star.
A Simple Favour is murder mystery drawn from Darcey Bell's novel, the first of two planned books in a series. The story finds glamorous Emily asking Stephanie to pick up her son after school and Stephanie happily agreeing. Emily, you see, has a life that would make any woman jealous; she is the perfect mother with a dazzling career working for a famous fashion designer in Manhattan. Stephanie, a widow with a son in kindergarten, lonely in their Connecticut suburb, turns to her daily blog for connection and validation. Stephanie imagines Emily to be her new confidante and is shocked when the woman suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving her son and husband with no warning. The book hit shelves in March this year.
Originally set up at Fox 2000 when it was first offered around, the script, which Feig has written, is now moving to Lionsgate. The director is aiming to start shooting this August in Toronto.
Kendrick, last seen in Table 19, has Pitch Perfect 3 due on 22 December. Lively is leading the thriller All I See Is You, which is out in the US on 17 September, but doesn't yet have a UK release date.