Angelina Jolie is gearing up to star in the movie version of Fredrik Backman’s popular novel, Anxious People. She’ll be playing Zara, a bank robber who unexpectedly gets caught up in a wild and complicated situation at an open house — basically, a house showing where people come to check out a home for sale.
The film will be directed by Marc Forster, who you might know from movies like A Man Called Otto and World War Z. The project is set to launch just before the Cannes market, thanks to the studios Black Bear and Hope Studios.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: Zara ends up holding a group of people hostage during the house viewing. But instead of things getting tense or scary, the situation turns oddly funny. The visitors start connecting with one another, sharing secrets, and trying to figure out how to escape, all while the police are closing in on them.
The movie is described as being about “a crime that never actually happened,” a bank robber who mysteriously disappears, and eight anxious strangers who realize they have a lot more in common than they thought. At its heart, Anxious People explores themes like friendship, forgiveness, and hope, those things that help people get through tough, anxious times.
We don’t yet know who else will be starring alongside Angelina Jolie. The screenplay is being adapted by David Magee, who’s worked on other famous movies like Life of Pi, A Man Called Otto, and Finding Neverland. Interestingly, this movie will bring back the same team that worked on A Man Called Otto, which is also based on a book by Fredrik Backman.
Producer Wikström Nicastro shared that Fredrik Backman’s books really connect with people because they capture what it means to be human. He said they’re proud to bring another touching and funny movie adaptation of Backman’s work to audiences.
More details about the film Anxious People will be shared soon, so stay tuned!
