Florence Pugh is attached to star in a sci-fi courtroom drama called “Dolly” about a sex robot that murders its billionaire owner. Though the film has not yet been greenlit, Apple TV+ acquired it in a bidding war, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Vanessa Taylor (“The Shape of Water,” “Hillbilly Elegy”) and Drew Pearce (“Hotel Artemis,” “Iron Man 3”) are writing the script, which is still being developed. No director is currently attached.
“Dolly” is inspired by a short story from Elizabeth Bear that first appeared in “Asimov’s Science Fiction” in 2011. The story follows a billionaire who is killed by a sex robot, forcing police to determine whether the robot was the murder weapon or the actual murderer. The bot then shocks the world by asking for a lawyer and pleading not guilty in the ensuing court case.
Apple Studios would produce the film along with Pearce through his production company Point of No Return Films. Pugh and Taylor will both executive produce, as will Point of New Return’s Ian Fisher.
Pugh broke out in a big way with “Midsommar” and “Little Women” back in 2019, and she was meant to be seen in Marvel’s “Black Widow” last summer, which has now been delayed to this year. She’s also filming New Line’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” the next film from director Olivia Wilde, in which she stars opposite Harry Styles. Pugh is also attached to star in “The Maid” at Universal.
Pugh is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Curtis Brown and Associates and attorney Ziffren Brittenham.
Deadline first reported the news.