Anxious People | Marc Forster

[BluBonnet]

Angelina Jolie To Star In ‘Anxious People’ For ‘A Man Called Otto’ & ‘World War Z’ Director Marc Forster

Oscar winner Angelina Jolie is set to star in the feature adaptation of hit Scandi novel Anxious People for A Man Called Otto and World War Z director Marc Forster.

Based on A Man Called Ove author Fredrik Backman’s novel, the film is being launched ahead of the Cannes market by Black Bear and Hope Studios with the former handling international sales and WME Independent handling domestic.

The uplifting comedy, set on the day before Christmas Eve, sees investment banker Zara (Jolie) begrudgingly find herself mingling with a group of strangers at an open house. When a reluctant bank robber inadvertently takes the group hostage, chaos and oversharing ensues, secrets are revealed and literally nothing goes according to plan. The movie is described as being “about 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.”

The story has been adapted for the screen by Oscar-nominated screenwriter David Magee, known for movies including A Man Called Otto, Life of Pi, and Finding Neverland.

The movie will reunite some of the key players behind the 2022 feature adaptation of A Man Called Otto ($110M global box office), also based on Backman’s novel. Hope Studios’ Fredrik Wikström Nicastro (A Man Called Otto) and Renée Wolfe (A Man Called Otto) of 2DUX2 will produce, with Forster, McGee and Neda Backman executive-producing.

Maleficent, Girl, Interrupted and Unbroken actress Jolie was a Tony winner last year for producing on Broadway musical The Outsiders. She most recently starred in Pablo Larrain’s Oscar-nominated biopic about Maria Callas. Forster’s credits include Monster’s Ball, which earned Halle Berry an Oscar, Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner, James Bond film Quantum of Solace, World War Z, and A Man Called Otto.

“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”, said producer Wikström Nicastro.

Forster described the story as “filled with humor, heart, chaos, and unexpected hope.”

Producer Renée Wolfe added: “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 is set a week before Christmas and highlights a time when generosity and giving are values that are more in focus. Sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic and always entertaining, Anxious People is a book that has sold over 6 million copies world-wide and, with Angelina Jolie playing the lead and Marc Forster directing, will surely prove to be a movie that will captivate millions more.”