Universal Pictures has entered into a first-look film partnership with Edith’s Daughter, the production banner led by Academy Award nominated and Tony, Grammy and Emmy award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo, the company announced on Wednesday.
This new pact expands upon the creative relationship between Erivo and the Studio following her starring role as Elphaba in Jon Chu’s upcoming highly anticipated feature film “Wicked” based off the hit Broadway production, and next year’s second chapter of the cinematic event, “Wicked Part Two,” in addition to her Academy Award nominated performance in “Harriet” from Universal Pictures’ specialty studio Focus Features.
“Cynthia’s world-class talent is matched only by her unwavering commitment to authenticity, representation, and empathy as a storyteller,” Peter Cramer, President of Universal Pictures, said in a statement. “She has inspired us all throughout the making of ‘Wicked,’ and we are so honored that she has chosen to partner with Universal to help amplify her mission at Edith’s Daughter. We couldn’t be more excited for the road ahead.”
Cynthia Erivo, Edith’s Daughter founder added: “Having spent the last 3 years collaborating with Donna Langley, Peter Cramer and the team at Universal on ‘Wicked,’ I’ve experienced first-hand the love and fearlessness with which they tell stories and uplift storytellers. I’m absolutely overjoyed to take this next step in our partnership with our first look deal. This is not just a milestone for my production company, but a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of diverse voices in film. I can’t wait to bring our visions to life and share them with the world!”
Erivo launched her production company in 2020 with the mission of developing stories that both normalizes and expresses the beauty of people who are often overlooked and underrepresented. Solome Williams serves as Executive Vice President of the company, overseeing all television, film, and unscripted development and production with Juliet Phillips as Creative Executive.
Edith’s Daughter’s inaugural film “Drift,” starring Erivo, debuted as an official selection at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival where it received rave critic reviews. Next up they are developing a remake of the 1979 Bette Midler film “The Rose” for Searchlight Pictures as well as the story on the remarkable life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta a 19th Century Nigerian princess “gifted” to Queen Victoria with Benedict Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch and BCC.
For television, Edith’s Daughter has set up the series “Raising Wild” at Apple, which the company is executive producing alongside Renee Zellweger’s Big Picture Co. and Toluca Pictures.
Erivo is repped by UTA, Entertainment 360, Peikoff Mahan and The Lede Company.
