It star Sophia Lillis is making the most of her breakout performance as Beverly Marsh in the hit Stephen King adaptation. She’s now landed two plum gigs in two more adaptations of popular stories, Claire McCarthy’s Burning Season, and the title role in Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase.
First up, Lillis will star alongside Naomi Watts in Burning Season, based on the short story What the World Will Look Like When All The Water Leaves Us
by author Laura Van Den Berg. Penned by Jenny Halper, the film centers on primatologist June Engle, played by Watts, who has returned to a drought-stricken region of Madagascar in search of endangered species. Dragged along for the adventure are teenage daughter Celia (Lillis) and a handsome local researcher, Kiady. June is headstrong and passionate as a scientist but is far from a perfect mother. Left to herself, Celia uses the trip as her own journey of discovery.
McCarthy was recently at Sundance with her latest film, Ophelia (my review), a Hamlet reimagining starring Daisy Ridley.
Lillis also finds herself playing literary super sleuth Nancy Drew in Warner Bros.’ Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. The story was originally published in 1930 as the second book in Carolyn Keene’s series, later adapted into a 1939 movie with a plot vastly different from the novel. It’s unclear at this point what story they’ll be going with in this updated version, which has yet to nail down a writer or director. Ellen DeGeneres and Wendy Williams (!!!) are on board as producers.
Next up for Lillis is HBO’s miniseries adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. [Variety/Deadline]
