The Housemaid author Freida McFadden‘s upcoming psychological thriller novel The Divorce has been optioned for a film adaptation.
Per Variety, Studiocanal emerged victorious from the competitive auction in the wake of The Housemaid‘s nearly $400 million worldwide gross.
Studiocanal and Working Title will produce the feature, with Ron Halpern and Joe Naftalin overseeing development and production for Studiocanal.
Publishing May 26 via Poisoned Pen Press, The Divorce centers on Naomi, who was living the quintessential love story until her husband abruptly kicks her out, hires the best divorce attorneys, drains their bank accounts and takes up with a 20-something.
Instead of accepting defeat and moving on, Naomi becomes fixated on his new girlfriend. Her cynical curiosity soon twists into obsession — and then into something far darker. As Naomi uncovers secrets she never imagined, she realizes her own life may be in danger.
“I’m delighted to be working with the teams at Studiocanal and Working Title to bring The Divorce to the big screen,” McFadden said. “From the start, they have come forward with an unparalleled enthusiasm and a strong vision for how to get this project off the ground. I can’t wait to see what unfolds!”
“We are thrilled to be working with Freida McFadden on our adaptation of The Divorce,” added Studiocanal CEO Anna Marsh. “From the very first page, it was utterly compelling. Freida has a rare ability to draw readers – and viewers – into an unsettling sense of comfort, before brilliantly pulling the rug from under them. The Divorce is ambitious, aspirational and irresistibly addictive storytelling at its best.”
Studiocanal will release The Divorce theatrically across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to handling global distribution.
The Housemaid’s Secret, a sequel to The Housemaid based on McFadden’s novel of the same name, is due in theaters on December 17, 2027. The author also has adaptations of The Teacher and The Surrogate Mother in the works at Apple and Sony, respectively.
