Ana de Armas and Kate Hudson heat up the screen in erotic thriller Palm Grove

Here’s a new one fresh off the film industry rumour mill: Ana de Armas and Kate Hudson have just boarded a rather enticing-sounding project, an original erotic thriller called Palm Grove. The film is coming from director Kornél Mundruczó — you might know him from Pieces of a Woman — and it’s being produced by Chernin Entertainment. Deadline had the scoop, of course, and they seem convinced this package will set off quite a bidding war. Let’s be honest, with this level of star wattage, that’s hardly a stretch.

Glamorous Neighbourhood, Double Lives, and Scheming

So, what’s Palm Grove actually about? The film is set in the most ludicrously exclusive bit of Miami real estate you can imagine, where Ana de Armas will play a picture-perfect wife who stumbles on the fact that her husband is living not just a double, but probably a triple life. This little discovery doesn’t send her packing — instead, it fires up an intense psychological battle laced with plenty of seduction and not a small amount of betrayal. Think sunshine, palm trees, luxury, and absolutely no one you’d trust for five minutes.

Who’s Writing and Producing?

The script comes from James Morosini, who picked up quite a bit of indie cred after writing, directing, and starring in the SXSW Grand Jury Prize-winning I Love My Dad. Morosini isn’t directing this one though — he’s off working on a different film called Bulls (which already has Dylan O’Brien, Lewis Pullman, and Kaia Gerber signed on). He is sticking around in an executive producer role on Palm Grove, with Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin, David Ready, and Brady Fujikawa handling the production side.

Quick Recap: Chernin’s Recent Winning Streak

• One Month Mark: A Jennifer Lawrence romcom just picked up by Apple Original Films — supposedly after a fierce bidding situation.
• Backrooms: Their horror project, and it’s already made upwards of $260 million globally.
• Apex: Hit #1 on Netflix’s global English-language film list.
• Man on Fire: Launched as Netflix’s #1 TV show worldwide on debut.

Kornél Mundruczó: The Man Behind the Camera

Mundruczó first built his career directing feisty, slightly left-field dramas in Hungary, chalking up credits like This I Wish and Nothing More, Pleasant Days, Johanna, Delta, and Tender Son: The Frankenstein Project. He truly broke out internationally with White God in 2014, and followed it up with Jupiter’s Moon and Evolution. UK viewers probably mostly recognise him from Pieces of a Woman — you might recall Martin Scorsese threw some weight behind that as an executive producer, and Vanessa Kirby scored an Oscar nomination for the lead. Basically, expect something a bit more sophisticated than your cheap-and-cheerful genre fare.

Anything Else Worth Knowing?

The project only just hit the open market to buyers and, to no one’s surprise, it’s already attracting serious interest. It’s hard not to notice the timing here: steamy, tense thrillers have been a bit thin on the ground lately. This one, with Ana de Armas and Kate Hudson squaring off in a South Florida soap opera-from-hell scenario, definitely sounds like a throwback worth keeping an eye on.

The word from Deadline: 'the package will hit the streets tomorrow and is sure to attract a number of buyers given the star power.'