Netflix acquires Anna Kendrick's 'Woman of the Hour'—What to expect
Netflix has secured the rights to Anna Kendrick's directorial debut titled Woman of the Hour in an astounding $11M deal at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). This fact-based thriller made its debut at the prestigious festival with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, joining the likes of Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron and Elizabeth Olsen's His Three Daughters. Here we take a detailed look at what to expect from Kendrick's Woman of the Hour.
Why does this story matter?
Netflix's acquisition of Woman of the Hour during this year's TIFF marks the festival's first major movie deal. Notably, Kendrick's directorial debut did not sign a Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) interim agreement. This decision paved the way for a potential early sale to a streaming giant in the competitive Toronto film sales market.
Is Kendrick's film based on a real-life serial killer?
The chilling truth behind Woman of the Hour is that it is based on a true story! The film recounts the unsettling tale of Cheryl Bradshaw—the woman who unknowingly won a date on the popular 1970s daytime show, The Dating Game, with Rodney Alcala. Introduced on the show as a "successful photographer," neither Bradshaw nor the audience knew at the time that Alcala was actually a serial killer in the midst of a horrifying rampage.
Reality show producers didn't conduct a background check on Alcala
Alcala's selection as a contestant was based on his tall, handsome, and charming appearance, and, the producers didn't conduct a background check. He had already committed heinous crimes by then, and had served a 34-month prison sentence for raping an eight-year-old (he couldn't be convicted for attempted murder and rape and was given a plea deal). By the time he was again arrested in 1979, Alcala had killed seven women, although authorities suspect the actual number could be much higher.
Meet the cast of 'Woman of the Hour'
In this thriller film, Kendrick steps into the shoes of Bradshaw—a struggling actor who participates in the dating show only to encounter the infamous murderer Alcala. Daniel Zovatto plays the role of Alcala, opposite Kendrick. Joining the talented duo in the cast are notable actors Nicolette Robinson, Tony Hale, Kathryn Gallagher, and Kelley Jakle.
Kendrick directs and stars in this fact-based thriller
Woman of the Hour marks the directorial debut of the Pitch Perfect actor Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The screenplay is written by Ian McDonald, and it is produced by Kendrick, Roy Lee, and BoulderLight Pictures's JD Lifshitz and Raphael Margules. Executive producers include Andrew Deane and Stephen Crawford with Tracy Rosenblum as co-producer. AGC Studios financed the movie.
