Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett headline Verity, a psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel of the same name. Directed by Michael Showalter, the film takes audiences into a world of secrets, suspicion and complicated relationships, with Hathaway playing the mysterious novelist at the centre of the story.
Released in theatres on October 2, 2026, Verity follows struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, played by Dakota Johnson, who is hired to complete the unfinished novels of bestselling author Verity Crawford after a serious accident leaves Verity unable to speak or move.
As Lowen begins working inside the Crawford family home, she discovers a disturbing manuscript that changes her understanding of Verity and raises questions about what really happened to the family.
Anne Hathaway Plays the Enigmatic Verity Crawford
Hathaway takes on the title role of Verity Crawford, a successful novelist whose life changes dramatically following a car accident.
Although Verity is physically incapacitated for much of the story, her presence remains central to the film. Lowen becomes increasingly fascinated by her writing and begins uncovering material that suggests a much darker side to the celebrated author.
Hathaway, who also served as a producer on the film, approached the character by considering Verity largely through Lowen’s perspective. In an interview, she explained that this allowed her to heighten certain aspects of the character while maintaining enough ambiguity to keep audiences questioning what they were seeing.
The contrast between the character Lowen imagines and the person Verity may actually be forms one of the film’s central tensions.
Dakota Johnson Enters Verity’s World
Dakota Johnson plays Lowen Ashleigh, an author whose career is struggling when she receives an unusual opportunity.
She is hired to finish a successful book series after Verity is left incapacitated. Her assignment takes her into Verity’s home, where she begins working through the novelist’s unfinished material.
What initially appears to be a professional opportunity gradually becomes something far more complicated. Lowen becomes involved with Verity’s family and develops a relationship with Verity’s husband, Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett.
Her discoveries about Verity’s past further blur the line between fact and fiction.
Josh Hartnett Plays Jeremy Crawford
Hartnett plays Jeremy Crawford, Verity’s husband and the father of their children.
Jeremy initially appears to be a caring husband dealing with the aftermath of his wife’s accident. However, as Lowen spends more time with the family, she begins questioning what she knows about Jeremy, Verity and the events that have taken place inside their home.
Hartnett said the film gave him an opportunity to explore a character different from many of his earlier roles. He also praised Showalter’s approach to the production, saying the director encouraged experimentation during scenes.
The relationship between Jeremy, Lowen and Verity becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses.
Michael Showalter Brings a Hitchcock-Inspired Approach
Michael Showalter directed Verity, moving into psychological-thriller territory after establishing himself through comedy and romantic drama.
The filmmaker has cited Alfred Hitchcock as an important influence on the project, with Rebecca serving as a significant reference point for the film’s atmosphere and storytelling.
Showalter has also spoken about the importance of the characters and actors in building the suspense. The film brings together three performers who had not previously worked with one another, creating an ensemble dynamic that the director compared to a “super group.”
The production also draws on the traditions of the erotic and psychological thriller, combining mystery, romance and suspense.
Dakota Johnson’s Family Connection to the Thriller Genre
Johnson’s involvement with Verity also carries an unusual connection to Hollywood’s thriller tradition.
Her grandmother, Tippi Hedren, starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and Marnie, while her mother, Melanie Griffith, appeared in Brian De Palma’s Body Double.
Both filmmakers influenced Showalter’s approach to Verity. Johnson has said that her family’s history with thriller cinema became something she appreciated more after completing the film.
She has also described the experience of playing Lowen as an opportunity to explore a character caught between attraction, curiosity and uncertainty.
The Cast Found Dark Scenes Surprisingly Funny
Despite the film’s serious subject matter, the actors found themselves laughing during some of the more intense scenes.
Hathaway told The Associated Press that there were moments when she and Johnson had to stare at one another for extended periods, and the awareness that they were supposed to appear frightening sometimes made them laugh.
That contrast between the seriousness of the material and the actors’ reactions became part of the experience of making the film.
The production embraces the heightened nature of the story rather than attempting to make every element strictly realistic.
A Steamy Psychological Thriller
Verity combines psychological suspense with an adult relationship drama.
Lowen’s growing attraction to Jeremy becomes intertwined with her investigation into Verity’s writing and history. The film also includes a fantasy sequence involving the three central characters, adding another layer to the increasingly complicated relationships.
Hathaway has said that the filmmakers wanted the movie to retain the provocative quality of Hoover’s novel while adapting it for the screen.
The result is a thriller built around questions of trust, desire and the reliability of what the characters believe to be true.
Based on Colleen Hoover’s Bestselling Novel
Verity is adapted from Hoover’s 2018 psychological thriller, which became one of the author’s most widely discussed books.
The novel’s story is known for its ambiguous approach to truth and its controversial ending. The film adaptation carries that uncertainty onto the screen, leaving audiences to question the motivations and accounts of the central characters.
The adaptation also follows the recent trend of Hoover’s books moving from the bestseller lists to cinema. It follows It Ends With Us, another Hoover adaptation that became a major theatrical release.
Anne Hathaway’s Busy 2026
Verity arrives at the end of an unusually busy year for Hathaway.
The actor has appeared in several major theatrical releases during 2026, including Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey and The End of Oak Street. With Verity, she completes another major studio release while also serving as one of the film’s producers.
Hathaway has also spoken about the importance of audiences returning to cinemas after the disruption caused by the pandemic and Hollywood strikes.
For Verity, her involvement extends beyond acting, giving her a role in shaping the film’s tone and cinematic approach.
‘Verity’ Now in Theatres
Directed by Michael Showalter, Verity stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. The film is based on Colleen Hoover’s novel and combines psychological suspense, romance and mystery.
The movie opened in theatres on October 2, 2026, bringing one of Hoover’s most discussed thrillers to the big screen.
With its deliberately ambiguous characters and Hitchcock-inspired atmosphere, Verity places the question of who can be trusted at the centre of its story.
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