Don't Worry Darling - What We Know So Far
Even as a nasty little pandemic continues to hamper the progress of film and television productions across the globe — not to mention the release of dozens of high profile projects already in the can — deals are still being made to get the next wave of movies into production. While much of the chatter around Hollywood is rightfully concerned with safely getting some of those tentpole projects (i.e. Marvel and DC properties) either into theaters or in front of cameras, studio brass may well be looking to bridge the gap between blockbusters with more mid-level offerings that requires significantly fewer people.
The folks at Warner Bros. Pictures are likely taking that track with an intriguing new movie currently being rushed through production via their genre-centric subsidiary New Line Cinema (who brought us such event fare as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Conjuring franchise). That upcoming release is called Don't Worry Darling. And while it doesn't appear to be a project sharing the same epic scale as those cinematic delights, the character-driven psychological chiller may be looking to conjure some sinister spirits of its own.
As of this writing, details about the new film remain pretty sparse. Still, a few tasty nuggets have already made their way into the world, so here's a look at everything we know so far about Don't Worry Darling.
What's the release date for Don't Worry Darling?
As New Line has largely been keeping details about Don't Worry Darling under wraps, there really isn't much in the way of major news to break. That being said, recent reports have confirmed that rehearsals on the film have been happening in Los Angeles, which means filming may well have already begun. This reporting was subsequently supported by a cache of leaked set photos that made the rounds in early December. Of course, with principal photography only just beginning, it's clearly going to be a bit of a wait before we get any concrete news regarding when Don't Worry Darling will hit cinemas. It's also entirely likely that COVID-19-related issues will affect the film's release as well. Still, if everything goes to plan and Don't Worry Darling manages to get through production without incident this fall, it's a safe bet it'll probably be slated for a late 2021 release.
Now, even as it remains uncertain when the world will lay eyes on Don't Worry Darling, there's legitimate reason to be excited about the project — first and foremost because it's being directed by Olivia Wilde, who more than proved her merit behind the camera with 2019's crackling blockbuster coming-of-age comedy Booksmart. Don't Worry Darling will see the multi-talented Wilde changing speeds dramatically, however, as her follow-up project is indeed being described as a psychological thriller, if not a full-fledged horror flick.
Wilde has, however, frequently changed gears as an actor, so there's little reason to think she won't prove just as dexterous in the director's chair. But again, when we'll actually get to see if the burgeoning auteur has what it takes to craft a moody chiller is anybody's guess.
Who's in the cast of Don't Worry Darling?
While there's been no news about when New Line Cinema execs expect Don't Worry Darling to make its way to the multiplex, those execs have been considerably more loose-lipped about who will be appearing in the film. And as if Olivia Wilde didn't have enough on her plate directing and producing the film, she is set to claim a supporting role in the film as well.
As far as who Wilde will be directing and sharing the screen with in Don't Worry Darling, there's been a little bit of a shake-up as the movie has neared production, with Shai LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson both leaving the project due to scheduling conflicts. Fear not, because Wilde has still assembled an absolutely stacked cast to bring her creepy little thriller to life, with the likes of Midsommar and Little Women breakout Florence Pugh, Wonder Woman and Hell or High Water player Chris Pine, Crazy Rich Asians sensation Gemma Chan, funnyman Nick Kroll, and The Old Guard breakout Kiki Layne all set to make appearances.
Those names should be more than enough to get the attention of cinema lovers from all walks of life, but it's worth noting that the Don't Worry Darling cast recently landed the talents of one Harry Styles, as well. Styles is making just his second big screen appearance after earning raves for his work in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, and in doing so he likely put Wilde's Booksmart follow-up on the radar for the entirety of the boy band set to boot.
What's the plot of Don't Worry Darling?
If you weren't beyond excited about Don't Worry Darling based on the cast alone, you still might be when you get a tease as to what sort of story they'll be featuring in. Even as there aren't a ton of details about the film out there just yet, it's known that Wilde is directing an original screenplay conjured by Chernobyl Diaries and The Silence scribes Carey and Shane Van Dyke, and that their screenplay is fresh off a touch-up job from Wilde's Booksmart collaborator Katie Silberman.
If nothing else, the Don't Worry Darling script appears to be in most capable hands, and should have plenty of Wilde's wickedly insightful voice shining through. And if the folks at Collider are to be believed, the film will find Pugh portraying a desperately unhappy 1950's housewife who begins to question her own sanity when unexplained occurrences begin to plague her small California community. Styles will reportedly be playing her loving husband, who may or may not be hiding some dark secrets of his own.
Those secrets revolve around the community itself, which is purported to be more cultish than communal. It's run by Chris Pine's mysterious figurehead, and finds all the men in town employed at the same ominous worksite. It also finds Pugh's paranoid neighbor warning her that not all is as it seems, and that she may soon need to find a way out of the coming madness.
That's a very Twilight Zone-ish setup to be certain, and with any luck Wilde will use it in service of crafting an atmospheric chiller worthy of all the talent involved. Hopefully we get to see this little creeper sooner rather than later.