Anna Kendrick Is Making A Movie About A Game Show Serial Killer
Anna Kendrick will star in her directorial debut, The Dating Game, about a real life serial killer.
Sometimes actors become so entrenched in the filmmaking process that they want to step behind the camera. It appears actress Anna Kendrick wants to do that very thing as she’s set to make her directorial debut with The Dating Game. The new horror thriller recounts the stranger-than-fiction story of Cherly Bradshaw and Rodney Alcala. As the story goes, Bradshaw appeared on the popular 1978 game show The Dating Game, where she had the choice of three bachelors. She ended up choosing a fellow named Rodney Alcala, who turned out to be a deranged killer in the middle of a murderous rampage. Alcala, who took the lives of five women, ultimately didn’t end up dating Bradshaw. According to Deadline, Kendrick is set to play Bradshaw and will also produce the upcoming horror flick.
Anna Kendrick is widely known for her roles in Twilight and Pitch Perfect. The actress is reported to produce The Dating Game under her Let’s Go Again Banner. The production company is behind the other Kendrick-led project, Alice, Darling, which is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Dating Game‘s script is penned by Ian McAllister McDonald, who was a production assistant for Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns and wrote and directed the 2016 romance film Some Freaks. Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios is confirmed to finance and co-finance the project alongside J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules for BoulderLight pictures. There’s currently no word on who will play Rodney Alcala, though the report does state that casting is currently ongoing. It also adds that the film is in pre-production with no release date set. In an official statement regarding the project, Kendrick said that she adored the script “the moment she read it.” She also mentioned feeling connected to the “themes around gender and intimacy.”
In addition to her upcoming directorial debut, Anna Kendrick is opening up about her experience with abuse. The actress is currently doing press for Alice, Darling, a film centered on a woman trying to rid herself of a toxic relationship with her boyfriend. When discussing the project with People, Kendrick spoke about her personal experiences dealing with emotional abuse. She explained that her representation sent her the script for Alice, Darling, and she instantly connected to many of its themes. The actress said that the film was a “cathartic” experience for her, who admitted she was still healing from the time of production. Principal photography for Alice, Darling took place in Toronto last year. The film undoubtedly looks to be one of the films fans can expect to see in the race for many of the major awards at the Oscars next year. Actress Mary Nighy is behind the helm of this gripping thriller from Lionsgate.
As for Anna Kendrick’s first directorial outing, there’s certainly a lot of story to cover. Rodney Alcala was believed to have been a photographer who often attracted his victims by offering to take their pictures. Alcala is reported to be linked to nearly 130 murders. He died of natural causes while facing death row on July 24, 2021.
