Olivia Wilde Is Reteaming With ‘Booksmart’ Writer On A Psychological Thriller

If you loved Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart and are upset the film didn’t get enough love, just know that the partnership between Wilde and writer Katie Silberman is going strong. They’re partnering up on two projects post-Booksmart, both for Universal. One is a holiday comedy, the other will see Wilde turning her talents to the thriller genre.

I missed this while at Comic-Con, but Wilde has agreed to direct an untitled holiday comedy penned by Silberman. Universal won a fierce bidding war for the project, which was pitched by Wilde and Silberman. So far it’s unclear who will star in it and if anybody from the Booksmart cast will be involved.

Next, Wilde has agreed to direct psychological thriller Don’t Worry, Darling, with Silberman rewriting a script originally penned by  Shane and Carey Van Dyke. Details are thin, but it’s apparently going to follow an unhappy housewife in the 1950s.  So like a Far from Heaven only more deadly?

It’s unclear which film will go first, but does it really matter? This is terrific news in that Wilde showed herself to be a real talent behind the camera, and having her and Silberman creating more great female characters is something Hollywood needs.  [Deadline/Variety]

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.