Directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You, The Big Sick) with a screenplay by Nick Antosca, the film stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett in a dark, twisted tale where truth and fiction are dangerously intertwined.
Set for a worldwide theatrical release on October 2, 2026, the trailer offers fans their most detailed—and unsettling—look yet at the secrets hiding inside the Crawford estate. Here is everything revealed in the new footage.
The Plot: A Writing Offer That Becomes a Psychological Trap
The trailer centers on Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), a struggling, financially strapped author who is offered the opportunity of a lifetime: ghostwriting the remaining installments of a wildly successful thriller series.
The series’ original creator, renowned author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway), has been left unable to write, speak, or walk following a devastating personal tragedy and mysterious accident. At the request of Verity’s grieving husband, Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett), Lowen relocates to the family’s isolated estate to sift through Verity’s research and notes.
However, what begins as a standard writing assignment quickly devolves into a nightmare as Lowen uncovers an unpublished, hidden autobiography left behind by Verity—one filled with bone-chilling confessions about her marriage, her children, and horrifying secret desires.
Trailer Highlights: Leaning Hard into Gothic Horror
While Hoover’s novel balances romance with psychological tension, the trailer confirms that Showalter’s film adaptation is leaning heavily into claustrophobic horror elements:
- Is Verity Really Incapacitated? The footage showcases Lowen growing increasingly paranoid inside the remote house. Several shots reveal low-lit hallways and fleeting glimpses of Verity watching Lowen from upstairs windows or standing unexpectedly in doorways when everyone else is asleep.
- Chilling Voiceover: Hathaway’s voice looms large over the trailer, narrating passages from Verity’s autobiographical manuscript: “A writer’s words should be honest and bloody and a little bit terrifying.”
- A Tangled Love Triangle: As Lowen reads deeper into the horrific confessions, she finds herself drawn to Jeremy (Hartnett). The trailer highlights the blurring lines between sympathy, attraction, and manipulation as Lowen tries to figure out if Jeremy is an innocent victim or if Verity is actively playing them both.
Key Cast and Creative Team
- Anne Hathaway as Verity Crawford: Marking a distinctly darker turn in her filmography, Hathaway portrays the enigmatic, unpredictable author whose presence dominates the film even when she isn’t speaking.
- Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh: Johnson grounds the film as the surrogate for the audience, capturing the escalating terror and obsession of a woman pulled into a family dynamic she cannot control.
- Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford: Continuing his career renaissance, Hartnett plays the grieving husband caught between protecting his family and navigating an instant connection with Lowen.
- Supporting Cast: The film also stars Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and Brady Wagner.
Release Date and Distribution
Unlike many streaming-first adaptations, Verity is receiving a full global theatrical launch. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios and distributed internationally by Sony Pictures, Verity hits theaters worldwide on October 2, 2026.