Anna Kendrick And Netflix Reunite To Bring A Scandal-Laced Book To The Screen

Here’s something you don’t see every day: Anna Kendrick, best known for airy comedies and Pitch Perfect-style shenanigans, has properly thrown herself into the director’s chair – and apparently, she’s pretty good at it. Seriously, who expected her to go from rapping in cups to tackling dark true crime?

Her first time out as director was Woman of the Hour, which landed on Netflix in 2024. Not only did Kendrick direct, she also starred – and managed to pull it off despite the fairly grim subject: the true-life case of serial killer Rodney Alcala. For extra discomfort, Alcala famously managed to get on The Dating Game while leading a double life as a murderer. The film didn’t shy away from the ugly details, and critics seemed to really rate what Kendrick brought to the table behind the camera. Last I checked, the film sits at a tidy 91% on Rotten Tomatoes – that’s not just ‘better than expected’, it’s outright impressive for a directorial debut.

If you’re curious how stars-turned-directors usually fare, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. John Travolta jumped behind the camera recently with Propeller One-Way Night Coach, but that’s only managed a 52% approval score, so not exactly setting the world alight. On the other hand, you've got the likes of Clint Eastwood, who's as comfortable barking at a camera as he is in front of it, with a shelf full of Oscars to prove it.

Anyway, back to Kendrick. Netflix clearly liked what she did, because now they’ve brought her on to direct another big adaptation: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It’s based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestseller, and there’s already quite a bit of hype around it.

What’s this Evelyn Hugo thing all about?

In short, it’s a sweeping Hollywood drama with a bit of an edge. The plot centres on a reclusive, ageing movie icon (that’s Evelyn Hugo), who finally grants an interview to a young journalist. Over the course of their conversations, Evelyn spills her secrets: all the dirt from her seven – yes, seven – marriages, not to mention some properly juicy scandals, betrayals and hidden truths from Tinseltown’s heyday.

This one’s not quite as bleak as Woman of the Hour – it’s more emotional bombshells and old Hollywood skeletons than anything serial killer-related.

Kendrick’s directing arc so far

• 2016: Kicked off her 'serious' side by playing opposite Ben Affleck in The Accountant.
• 2018: Dabbled in dark comedy with Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor – definitely a shift from her earlier stuff.
• 2024: Full-on directorial debut – and star turn – in Woman of the Hour for Netflix, tackling a notorious real case.
• Next up: Taking on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for Netflix – all signs point to this being a big deal.

Fair to say nobody saw Kendrick veering away from breezy comedies and leaning into murky drama quite this hard, but doors tend to open when your first film scores north of 90% with the critics. If you’re wondering about sequels, she did come back for Another Simple Favor, but sat out The Accountant 2.

As for what we can expect from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Netflix are keeping most of the casting cards close to their chest for now. Still, if Kendrick’s first effort behind the camera was anything to go by, it’ll be worth a look – whether you’re after old-school Hollywood drama or just nosy about how many husbands one screen icon can actually get through.