The Shining Girls - What We Know So Far
Apple TV+ is currently working on a time-traveling thriller, with an exciting cast to fill up the project. The new series, titled "The Shining Girls," is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by South African author Lauren Beukes. The rights to the book were acquired way back in 2013, ahead of the book's release, by Leonardo DiCaprio's company Appian Way in collaboration with MRC Television (via The Hollywood Reporter).
In July of 2020, Apple TV+ announced that the upcoming show would be premiering on their streaming service, with Elisabeth Moss set to star and executive produce via Love & Squalor Pictures with Lindsey McManus. Other producers include DiCaprio, Beukes, Jennifer Davisson, and Alan Page Arriaga.
If you're already intrigued by a Moss-starring time-travel drama, then you're likely wondering what other information is currently known about the upcoming project. Well, we have some answers. Here's everything we know so far about "The Shining Girls."
When will The Shining Girls be released?
As of now, Apple has not yet announced a release date for "The Shining Girls." However, we do know that production has already started. The author of the novel, Lauren Beukes, confirmed on Twitter that filming was set to start in May of 2021, writing, "The Shining Girls series with Elisabeth Moss and Wagner Moura is set to start filming in Chicago next month! I'm so excited by Silka Luisa's scripts, and can't wait to see how it turns out. In a non-pandemic world I'd be able to fly out to visit the shoot." Beukes also included a link to an article by Reel Chicago, which confirmed that the series would be shooting in the Windy City — which is also where the story takes place.
As we know, pre-production of "The Shining Girls" has been quite the journey already, since the rights were bought way back in 2013. Fans of the book are likely dying to see the on-screen adaptation already. Unfortunately, it seems that there is still a little bit of waiting left to do, as the soonest we'll be seeing these episodes will be sometime in 2022, as confirmed by the IMDb listing.
If you haven't yet, now would be a good time to pick up Beukes' book — or to reread it — to tide you over before the adaptation of "The Shining Girls" makes its way to the screen.
Who will be in The Shining Girls?
The first cast member to be announced was Elisabeth Moss, via the Apple TV+ press release. After rising to prominence for her supporting role on the AMC period drama "Mad Men," Moss has been starring in the popular dystopian drama "The Handmaid's Tale" since 2017. She's also led prominent films such as 2020's "Shirley" and "The Invisible Man."
The next two leads to be announced were Wagner Moura and Jamie Bell, as reported by Variety in May of 2021. Moura is best known for portraying Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series, "Narcos," and will also soon be seen in the upcoming "The Gray Man" opposite Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, and many more recognizable faces. Bell is known for his roles in films such as 2013's "Snowpiercer," 2015's "Fantastic Four," and 2019's "Rocketman."
The cast is rounded out with Phillipa Soo ("Hamilton"), Amy Brenneman ("Goliath," "Tell Me Your Secrets"), and Christopher Denham ("Utopia").
What will The Shining Girls be about?
The novel serving as the source material for "The Shining Girls" is set in Chicago during Depression-era times and follows a drifter named Hunter Curtis (Jamie Bell) who finds a key to a house that allows for time travel to other eras. However, there's one caveat with the house: Hunter must kill "shining girls" — young, passionate women who "shine" with their potential — in order to be able to travel through time. Hunter begins stalking his victims through different eras but is halted in 1989, when one of the women, a journalist named Kirby (Elisabeth Moss) survives his attack and begins fighting back. Additionally, Wagner Moura plays Dan, a prominent journalist who covers a copycat attack (via Variety).
We haven't received a ton of information that is specific to the show's plot, so, for now, we can assume that the series will likely stick pretty closely to its source material. When Moss's casting was announced through Apple's press release, we got a little more information about how her character plays into the plot. Apple gave the description, "Moss will star as a Chicago reporter who survived a brutal assault only to find her reality shifting as she hunts down her attacker." From this, it seems possible that Kirby will also become involved in the time traveling as she hunts down Hunter.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.