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Oscar winner Angelina Jolie is set to lead the cast of Anxious People, a feature film adaptation of Fredrik Backman's best-selling novel. Backman is also the author of A Man Called Ove, which became the inspiration for the 2022 Tom Hanks-led film A Man Called Otto. The new project brings together a powerhouse team, including acclaimed director Marc Forster and Oscar-nominated screenwriter David Magee.
Forster, who is known for seamlessly blending emotional depth and blockbuster appeal in films such as World War Z and Finding Neverland, is set to direct. The screenplay is being adapted by Magee, celebrated for his works on Life of Pi, Finding Neverland, and A Man Called Otto. Magee excels at presenting emotional richness without going into exaggerated sentimental territories, which is ideal for working with Backman's tone of grief interlaced with hope. The movie is being produced by Fredrik Wikström Nicastro (also producer of A Man Called Otto) and Renée Wolfe with Forster, Magee, and Neda Backman as executive producers.
As for Jolie, the project remains important since she is trying to balance her acting career alongside directing, producing, as well as humanitarian ventures. Recently, she won a Tony Award as a producer of the Broadway musical The Outsiders.
In 2024, she also starred in Pablo Larraín's Oscar-nominated Maria as Maria Callas, an opera legend, which garnered her critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. Her ability to showcase emotional nuance in complex characters makes her an attractive choice to play Zara, the protagonist in Anxious People. Zara is a woman struggling with past trauma and forced into everyday unexpected intimacy with complete strangers, and Jolie's casting adds a great deal of weight to the project
The casting is also approved by Backman, who talked about Jolie's casting and said,
“I’m incredibly proud and happy to be a small part of this extraordinary group of talent. Angelina Jolie is, of course, one of a kind. I can’t imagine leaving Zara in better hands"
More details about Anxious People
Anxious People reportedly has all the qualities to become one of the buzziest titles at the Cannes market. The story takes place the day before Christmas Eve, and follows a botched bank robbery that unexpectedly turns into a hostage situation at an apartment open house.
Jolie will portray Zara, an uptight investment banker whose well-preserved walls begin to crumble when forced to interact with a room of strangers under unusual circumstances. The film is part mystery, part comedy, part emotional rollercoaster, which ultimately seeks to explore the themes of empathy and connection in a disconnected world.
The film's official logline reads:
"A crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined…Through an ingeniously constructed story, Anxious People explores the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope — the things that save us, even in the most anxious times.”
Speaking about the project, producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro said,
“Fredrik’s novels speak to our shared humanity in a way that really moves audiences, and we’re proud to be able to deliver another heartwarming and hilarious adaptation of his work. This is a story filled with humor, heart, chaos, and unexpected hope.”
Renée Wolfe, who is also producing, echoed those sentiments, saying,
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“Anxious People is a uniquely warm and heartfelt story that speaks to our chaotic times by asking us to step outside of our own stories and slow down enough to actually see one another. It’s set a week before Christmas, when generosity and giving take center stage. It’s funny, sometimes dramatic, always entertaining, and with Angelina Jolie in the lead and Marc Forster directing, this story is going to reach millions.”
Further details on Anxious People are currently still under wraps.
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