Sydney Sweeney

Source: Elias Tehan.

Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney is attached to star in the Edith Wharton adaptation Custom Of The Country for Studiocanal and Rabbit’s Foot Films, with production scheduled to commence imminently.

Sweeney, coming off the $250m global box office hit The Housemaid, will produce alongside Rabbit’s Foot Films founder Charles Finch and Alison Owen of Monumental Pictures

The drama sees Sweeney play Undine Spragg, a fiercely ambitious woman from the Midwest who strives to reach the heights of society in turn-of-the century New York.

British theatre and film director Josie Rourke adapted the screenplay and directs. Studiocanal, which distributed The Housemaid in Australia and New Zealand, is fully financing the project and will distribute theatrically in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Benelux.

Studiocanal will launch sales on Custom Of The Country at next month’s EFM in Berlin.

Finch said, “I’ve worked for many years to bring Custom Of The Country to the screen and I’m delighted with Josie’s adaptation, and the power, passion and fun that Sydney will bring to the role.”

Anna Marsh, Studiocanal CEO and chief content officer of Canal+, added: “This project stands as a testament to Studiocanal’s commitment to championing distinctive storytelling, and we look forward to working closely with Charles Finch, Alison Owen and Sydney Sweeney as producing partners and as the film comes to life.”

Rourke said, “Undine Spragg is the original dangerous woman […] The book whistles with modernity and as I was writing this adaptation, Sydney Sweeney lived in my head as this iconic character — it’s as if Wharton sat down a century ago and wrote the role for her.”

EVP of global production Ron Halpern, US chief creative officer Shana Eddy-Grouf, and VP development and production Isobel Carter are overseeing for Studiocanal.

Rourke’s debut feature Mary Queen Of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie opened through Focus Features in 2018. She was artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse from 2012-19.

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