Anna Kendrick will make her directorial debut with true-story thriller “The Dating Game,” which she’ll also star in and produce.
The “Up in the Air” actress will play Cheryl Bradshaw, who was a contestant on the popular matchmaking show “The Dating Game” in 1978. She ended up choosing Rodney Alcala, who seemed like the perfect bachelor – until he turned out to be a psychopathic serial killer. (As of his death in 2021, he was convicted of seven murders.)
Kendrick will direct from Ian McDonald’s screenplay. The script was included in the 2017 Black List, a collection of the best unproduced scripts of the year.
McDonald will also serve as an executive producer. AGC Studios is fully financing and co-producing the film. Other producers are J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules for BoulderLight Pictures, and Roy Lee and Miri Yoon for Vertigo Entertainment. Kendrick will produce on behalf of her Let’s Go Again banner, which previously produced HBO Max’s “Love Life,” Netflix’s “Stowaway,” and the upcoming film “Alice, Darling” – all of which she starred in.
Among others, Kendrick’s credits include her Oscar-nominated performance in “Up in the Air,” starring roles in “A Simple Favor” and the “Pitch Perfect” films, and Cinderella in 2014’s “Into the Woods.” The psychological thriller “Alice, Darling” will premiere next week at TIFF.
Of “The Dating Game,” Kendrick said in a statement: “I’ve loved this script from the moment I read it. And while I was obviously thrilled to be playing the character of Sheryl [sic], I felt so connected to the story, the tone, and the themes around gender and intimacy, that when the opportunity came up to direct the film, I jumped at it.”
She continued: “It feels meant to be. The support I’ve received already from Stuart Ford and everyone at AGC, Vertigo and BoulderLight has been inspiring and empowering.”
Principal photography is scheduled to begin in late October, with casting additions to be announced at a later date.
AGC International launched international sales in Cannes and with UTA/CAA jointly representing the sale for domestic. AGC’s SVP of Legal & Business Affairs Anant Tamirisa negotiated the deal on behalf of AGC, while CAA and Range Media Partners negotiated on behalf of Kendrick.
Kendrick is repped by CAA and Range Media Partners and Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.
