Verity (2026)

In the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios release, Anne Hathaway steps into the unsettling world of Verity Crawford, an injured best‑selling novelist whose husband (Josh Hartnett) enlists a struggling writer, Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), to finish her manuscript. As the new writer uncovers hidden secrets, the film morphs into a sexy, creepy, and suspense‑filled erotic thriller—not a typical blood‑soaked slasher. Director Michael Showalter describes the project as a"twisted, dirty thriller" that felt instantly visual to him. He was drawn to the script’s blend of tragedy, love affairs, and violent career twists, and praised the layered characters that inhabit a single, tension‑charged house. Showalter also highlighted author Colleen Hoover’s hands‑on involvement, noting she was on set for portions of shooting and helped shape the screenplay during pre‑production. Hathaway’s performance is set to be a study in extremes. Showalter marvels at her"10,000% commitment" and the way she crafts multiple facets of Verity, forcing audiences to constantly question whether she’s the victim, the villain, or something far more ambiguous. The director hints that viewers will be pulled between trust and suspicion, never quite sure which version of Verity to believe. Verity hits theaters on October 2, promising fans a daring new side of Hathaway and a thriller that will linger long after the credits roll.

The star‑studded press day for the upcoming thriller Verity turned New York’s hotel scene into a runway. Dakota Johnson arrived in a sleek black dress that highlighted her understated elegance, while a visibly pregnant Anne Hathaway chose a bold turquoise two‑piece that popped against the city’s winter backdrop. Their coordinated yet distinct looks sparked a flurry of camera clicks and set the tone for the film’s high‑profile rollout. Based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, Verity follows the tangled lives of famed author Verity Crawford (Hathaway) and struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson). When Lowen moves into the remote Crawford estate to ghostwrite, she discovers chilling autobiographical notes that blur the line between fiction and reality. The discovery drags her into a maze of twisted confessions about Verity’s husband Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett, forcing her to navigate manipulation, attraction, and obsession. Fans can mark their calendars for the October 2 theatrical release, when the seductive psychological thriller hits cinemas nationwide. The buzz surrounding the film is already amplified by Johnson’s recent personal headlines—including a new romance with musician Machine Gun Kelly—adding an extra layer of intrigue to the movie’s promotional push.

Colleen Hoover’s first foray into thriller territory landed on screens on Oct. 2, and the buzz was palpable. With Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway headlining a story about a ghostwriter uncovering a disturbing manuscript, fans expected a tense, twist‑laden ride. Instead, critics found a sluggish two‑hour slog that barely scratched the surface of its source material. From the opening minutes the plot felt predictable, with each “twist” telegraphed long before it arrived. The pacing drags, and the characters remain hollow – Johnson’s Lowen comes off as robotic despite her attempts at emotion, while Hathaway’s brief turn as the enigmatic Veris is the only performance that hints at depth. The screenplay offers little substance, and even the on‑screen excerpts of Verity’s own writing are cringe‑worthy, prompting more eye‑rolls than chills. The film’s visual palette of coffee‑toned browns and ashy grays does little to compensate for its narrative shortcomings, and the finale leans on a gimmicky QR code that asks audiences to pick the “true” story rather than delivering a satisfying resolution. In the end, “Verity” leaves viewers more annoyed than intrigued, a stark reminder that not every bestseller translates into a compelling thriller.

The new thriller “Verity,” directed by Michael Showalter, drops audiences into the eerie Crawford estate where ghostwriter Lowen (Dakota Johnson) is hired to finish the bestselling series of a catatonic author. As Lowen sifts through Verity Crawford’s (Anne Hathaway) private notes, the film peels back layers of deception, but the screenplay rushes through the psychological twists that made the novel a bestseller. Hathaway’s performance is the film’s most compelling element. Critics note she channels a Bette‑Davis‑like intensity that elevates the otherwise uneven ensemble, while Josh Hartnett’s Jeremy Crawford drifts between sympathy and menace. The supporting cast, though attractive, often feels like placeholders for the novel’s larger‑than‑life scheming, leaving their motivations vague. Showalter’s adaptation struggles to condense Hoover’s sprawling character arcs into a 118‑minute runtime. Reviewers point out that Lowen and Jeremy’s personalities flip from scene to scene, and the story’s climax lands in an open‑ended, unsatisfying place. The film earns a modest C grade, with the consensus that a tighter script could have let the cast’s talent—especially Hathaway’s—shine brighter.