Julia Roberts is now set to star in theKill Your Darlingsfilm adaptation.Kill Your Darlingsis an upcoming novel from author Peter Swanson, who is known for works such asEight Perfect Murders. Its plot is a murder mystery that traces a marriage in reverse order, attempting to uncover a dark secret in the couple’s relationship. The book is currently scheduled to be published on July 08, 2025. It has no relationship with the 2013Daniel Radcliffe filmKill Your Darlings, which was directed by John Krokidas.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter, it has been announced thatRoberts will star in an upcomingKill Your Darlingsadaptation. The movie will be produced by Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists. In addition to Roberts, James Gray is also involved in the film, likely as its director. Roberts will also produce the film with Scott Stuber, Nick Nesbitt, Lisa Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill, Jane Rosenthal, and Berry Welsh. Executive producers include author Swanson and Joel Gotler. The description of the yet-to-be-released book reads as follows:
[The story moves] backward through time to witness key moments from the couple’s lives—their fiftieth birthday party, buying their home, Jason’s birth, the mysterious death of a work colleague—all painting a portrait of a marriage defined by a single terrible act they plotted together many years ago.
What This Means For Kill Your Darlings
Roberts Has Been In A Book Adaptation Before
The exact nature of Roberts' role has not been revealed, but it seems all but guaranteed thatshe will play Wendy Graves, the wife in the married couple at the heart ofKill Your Darlings. The book is set to show moments from Thom and Wendy’s 25-year marriage, and the movie is likely to do the same. Stuber, who runs United Artists, was the catalyst in snagging the book off the Hollywood market before it even hit the shelves. This speaks highly of the upcoming mystery novel’s story, which sounds like it will translate well to film.
Julia Roberts' 10 Best Movies, Ranked
Julia Roberts is a beloved member of Hollywood royalty and her filmography has ranged from classic comedies to serious works with social impact.
Roberts is no stranger to leading a major book adaptation, making her a strong choice for the lead role inKill Your Darlings. In 2023, the actor played a major part in the psychological thrillerLeave the World Behind, which adapted the Rumaan Alam novel of the same name.Leave the World Behindreceived good reviewsincluding praise for the performances. Roberts will get the opportunity once again to be in a mystery novel adaptation, and will likely be able to translate her existing skills with ease.
What This Means For Swanson’s Career
This Is A Good Time For The Mystery Novel Adaptation
Kill Your Darlingsis not the first Swanson novel with a movie adaptation announced. In March 2017,a movie version of Swanson’s novelThe Kind Worth Killingwas announced, set to star Amber Heard, directed by Agnieszka Holland, and written for the screen by Christopher Kyle. Since its initial announcement, however,The Kind Worth Killingadaptation never took off the ground. Whether this is related to Heard’s public legal issues with former partner Johnny Depp remains unclear.
Viewers have a big appetite for the mystery genre, which could helpThe Kind Worth Killingto be successful.
Since the announcement ofThe Kind Worth Killingadaptation, two additional Swanson adaptations have been floated. August 2024 saw the announcement of anEight Perfect Murdersadaptation, andThe Girl with a Clock for a Heartis also rumored to be in pre-production. None of these movies have been made yet, however, so the Roberts-ledKill Your Darlingsadaptation could be the first Swanson novel to be adapted to the screen.
This is a somewhat surprising achievement asSwanson’s novels have been bestselling for years. However, there could not be a better time than now to make a movie adaptation of one of Swanson’s works. Mainly attributable to Harlan Coben, movie and TV show adaptations of popular mystery novels are on the rise right now, and they are extremely popular.Fool Me Onewas even Netflix’s top-streamed show of 2024, according to recent data. Viewers have a big appetite for the mystery genre, which could helpThe Kind Worth Killingto be successful.
Our Take On The Kill Your Darlings Adaptation
The Other Cast Members Will Be Key To This Movie’s Success
Roberts could be a big draw for the film, as she has a history of making high-caliber work. Roberts has been nominated for four Oscars, winning in 2001 for her work inErin Brockovich.Roberts has also seen box office success with movies likeOcean’s Eleven,Pretty Woman, andNotting Hill. This track record can be combined with her knack for the mystery thriller genre recently showcased inLeave the World Behindto make her a strong choice for the lead role inKill Your Darlings.
However, much is still yet to be revealed about theKill Your Darlingsadaptation, including other cast members.Leave the World Behind’s Sam Esmail-helmed the adaptation with such an authoritative vision, and featured an unforgettable performance from Roberts' co-star Mahershala Ali. This puts pressure on the next Roberts' book adaptation to do as well, and shows that a cast can make or break a mystery film, regardless of how strong the plot is. With the rights to the movie snagged so early, hopefully theKill Your Darlingsteam will have ample time to make sure their vision is well-realized.
