One of my favourite things to do on a chill night is to watch trailers for my favourite movies. I almost like watching them more than the movie itself because they always have a great soundtrack that captures every peak moment from the film. I’m talking Catching Fire, any Marvel movie, Set It Up, and so many more. The very first Project Hail Mary trailer to “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles will probably go down as one of the greatest trailers I’ve ever watched, and I’ve seen it no less than 75 times.
Yes—they might spoil quite a bit about the film, but I’m still going to watch them again and again. That was the situation I found myself in last week when the trailer for Verity was released. I’m probably on my 15th watch, and I got chills every single time. I’ve even read the book, and somehow this trailer still freaked me out every time (and I loved it).
So let’s dive into Verity, what the trailer revealed, the long-old debate, and my thoughts ahead of the film.
Verity is a psychological thriller written by Colleen Hoover and self-published in 2018, but was later acquired by Grand Central Publishing in 2021
The book follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer facing financial ruin, who accepts the job of a lifetime…or so she thinks. The husband of bestselling thriller author Verity Crawford hires her to finish the remaining novels in Verity’s book series, as the author is unable to complete them after suffering a mysterious accident. However, when she arrives at the Crawford estate, Lowen soon realizes things may not be as they seem, and she discovers an unfinished manuscript that gives her a glimpse of the family’s not-so-perfect life. She then decides to figure out if Verity’s writing is purely fiction or not.
The film rights were originally sold in 2022, but at the time Colleen Hoover stated, “I’ve sold a lot of film rights that eventually reverted back to me if the producers couldn’t get the project off the ground. I’m hoping this one works out, though! I think it would be fun to see Verity as a movie.”
The film will release in theatres on October 2, 2026, but the original release date was supposed to be May 15, 2026. The change is rumoured to be because the first week of October is a rich launchpad for femme thriller movies such as Gone Girl or Girl on the Train.
Verity stars Anne Hathaway as Verity Crawford, Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh, and Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but the trailer felt more like horror than thriller (and I’m not complaining). The eerie tone immediately creeped me out and quickly established the house's claustrophobic feel. While I can’t recall what I pictured while reading the book, the home in the trailer is all I can see now. The wood interior and massive windows simply felt right.
For me, the trailer also revealed that the casting was the correct choice. I usually save my opinions until the film or series, but my internal critique often comes out during a trailer. That said, I have no notes. For a long time, I had pictured Rosamund Pike as Verity, but I can see Anne Hathaway nailing it—I think the movie will confirm that. Dakota Johnson’s playing Lowen just makes sense to me, and that’s how the trailer felt. I also like that she feels smarter and more observant than I remember from the book. Like Johnson, Josh Hartnett also feels like a cast that just makes sense to me. In a perfect world, I'd love to see new actors and fresh faces, but I can’t deny that I’m excited to see these seasoned actors take on these roles.
While it’s been years since I read the book, there were some moments that I noticed that also appeared in the novel:
The boat flipping
Crew putting the knife in his mouth
Teeth marks on the headboard
The red dress
Now I might be biased because I’ve read the book and know what happens, but I think the trailer did a great job of keeping non-readers in the dark about what is coming… All in all, I’m intrigued and deeply unsettled.
➡️ How did you feel about the trailer? Did you notice a shift in mood from the book? Do you think it gave too much away or too little?
When I finished Verity, I didn’t know about this debate. All I knew was that I was unsettled and spooked (but in the best way possible). I loved this book. Upon finishing the last page, I had unknowingly chosen a side without knowing there were sides, because to me it was obvious:
Team manuscript.
To catch everyone up to speed who might not recall: Team manuscript believes the autobiography and that Verity’s is truly evil, whereas Team letter believes her final note claims the manuscript was just a dark writing exercise. Listen, I get both sides looking back now, but I will not be convinced that Verity in the book was pure evil. I couldn’t imagine someone innocent having thoughts so incredibly dark and disturbing, especially about her children… In my opinion, the letter was a cover-up, and she knew she was going to be caught.
So while I’m dead set on my viewpoint of the book, I can’t help but wonder if the movie will be able to sway my decision, even slightly… That would be a job well done, but we will have to see.
…here’s what else is happening in the book world!
Why We Actually Like Movie Tie-In Covers Now: Breaking down what they got right about the new ‘The Love Hypothesis’ cover
Are We Judging Adaptations Too Early? The internet’s reaction to the casting of ‘Better Than the Movies’ proves we’re still falling into the same cycle...
Why Netflix’s Next Adaptation Makes Perfect Sense A classic novel from 1901 is getting a second life and it could be the next big thing...
Everything You Need To Know About Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Next Book
Every Book Adaptation Nominated for an Emmy in 2026 (Your guide to every Emmy-nominated adaptation before the awards in September)
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.