Anne Hathaway’s busy 2026 continues with Verity, an R-rated erotic thriller starring Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. The film is scheduled to premiere in Australian cinemas on October 2.
The project follows a run that also includes The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey and The End of Oak Street. Hathaway has described this stage of her career as exciting and unusual, telling PEOPLE that she intends to enjoy the momentum while it lasts.
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A dangerous job at an isolated estate
Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s controversial novel, Verity centres on Lowen Ashleigh, played by Dakota Johnson. Lowen is a struggling ghostwriter who receives an extraordinary assignment: finish the next book by Verity Crawford, a successful author who has suffered a serious injury and can no longer write.
Verity’s husband, played by Josh Hartnett, hires Lowen and brings her to the couple’s remote estate. What initially looks like a career-changing opportunity becomes far more troubling when Lowen discovers the unfinished manuscript.
The pages contain disturbing secrets about Verity and her marriage. As Lowen investigates, her relationship with Verity’s husband grows increasingly complicated, while her place in the household begins to resemble a takeover of Verity’s life.
Johnson, who is also a producer on the film, was involved before learning that the screenplay was based on one of Hoover’s books. She has joked that her character may be the villain, calling the role enjoyable in comments reported by Deadline.
Why Colleen Hoover’s name matters
Hoover has published more than 25 books and sold millions of copies. Her work has already supplied the source material for It Ends With Us, Regretting You and Reminders of Him, making Verity the latest screen adaptation connected to her substantial readership.
Hoover said in March that 2026 would be a major year, with Reminders of Him arriving on the 13th and Verity following in October. The film’s commercial prospects will depend partly on whether the thriller can bring the novel’s established audience into cinemas.
The cast and creative team
Michael Showalter directs after previously working with Hathaway on The Idea of You, another adaptation of a novel. The screenplay comes from Nick Antosca, who also served as showrunner for the Apple TV series Cape Fear.
Ismael Cruz Córdova and Brady Wagner are also part of the cast. The combination of a high-profile ensemble, a popular literary property and a darker genre marks a clear change of direction for Hathaway.
Release date
Verity is scheduled to premiere in cinemas on October 2. Australian viewers can keep the date in mind while following further local release information.
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