AceShowbiz - Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson headline the highly anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel Verity, with the first trailer debuting at CinemaCon. The suspenseful trailer was revealed during Amazon’s presentation for theater owners and distributors held in Las Vegas.

Verity follows the story of struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, played by Dakota Johnson, who is hired by Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett) to finish the remaining books in a popular series originally authored by his wife, Verity Crawford, portrayed by Anne Hathaway. After Verity suffers a mysterious accident, Lowen moves into the couple’s extravagant mansion to complete the work. However, she soon uncovers a chilling secret hidden within an unfinished manuscript that reveals disturbing details about the family’s past.

The trailer opens with a glimpse of Verity’s public persona appearing on the podcast Call Her Daddy, showcasing her success and fame. It then shifts to Lowen arriving at the Crawford estate, exploring the lavish surroundings and eventually meeting Verity, who is confined to a wheelchair and unresponsive. Lowen questions Jeremy about Verity’s condition, asking, “Can she speak? Does she even know what’s going on?” Jeremy’s replies hint at deeper mysteries and raise doubts about what Lowen is stepping into.

As Lowen sifts through Verity’s notes, she uncovers eerie recounts of the early days of Verity’s relationship with Jeremy. A particularly unsettling moment occurs when Lowen glimpses Verity moving normally through a window, contradicting what she had been told. The tension escalates when Verity, despite her incapacitated state, suddenly grabs Lowen’s face and kisses her with a knowing smirk. Lowen’s chilling declaration, “You have this perfect life, everything anyone could ever want, and I’m going to take it from you, all of it,” hints at a dangerous rivalry between the two women.

Michael Showalter, who previously collaborated with Hathaway on the 2024 film The Idea of You, directs Verity. The film is scheduled for a wide theatrical release on October 2. Alongside the lead trio, Ismael Cruz Córdoba and Brady Wagner also join the cast, rounding out the ensemble.

The novel Verity was originally self-published by Colleen Hoover in 2018 before being acquired by Grand Central Publishing in 2021. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller and marks Hoover’s fourth project to be adapted for the big screen after It Ends With Us, Regretting You, and Reminders of Him. Hoover is also serving as a producer on the film, ensuring her creative vision is closely maintained.

For Anne Hathaway, Verity will be part of an especially busy year. In addition to this thriller, she has several other projects lined up for 2024, including Mother Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2, both arriving in theaters shortly. Later in the year, she will also appear in The Odyssey and The End of Oak Street, highlighting a prolific schedule ahead.

With a gripping storyline, a talented cast, and a director familiar with working alongside its lead actress, Verity promises to be a compelling thriller that explores dark family secrets and intense psychological drama. Audiences can look forward to its release in early October, marking another major adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s popular work.