Known for her directorial debut work on Netflix’s Someone Great as well as her subsequent work in Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is set to direct a dark comedy film adapted from the renowned auteur Alfred Hitchcok’s popular flick Strangers on a Train.
The script for the film, titled Strangers, will be written by Celeste Ballard, besides Robinson herself. Peter Cron and Anthony Bregman from the production house Likely Story are in charge of production for the adaptation.
Hitchcock’s 1951 thriller was based on Patricia Highsmith’s eponymous 1950 novel. The film revolves around two strangers, a tennis player and a psychopath, meeting on a train. The psychopath has an intriguing offer for the player, hoping to “exchange” the murders of their respective targets that they want to get rid of to evade arrest. After the psychopath keeps his promise, he coerces the tennis player into doing his bidding. With strong performances from the cast, namely Farley Granger and Ruth Roman, the film is considered one of Hitchcock’s crazy noir thrillers with menacing undertones and ample melodrama.
Netflix, eager to expand its teen fanbase, once again tries to lure in the young adult audience by adapting a reimagined version of Hitchcock’s films, comprising intriguing teenage young protagonists with convoluted plotlines. Given the original text’s legacy, great things are expected of Robinson’s Strangers.
Rumours state that the film has allegedly begun production. If you want to know more about the highly anticipated film, read on to find out everything that you need to know about Netflix’s original reimagination of the Hitchcock classic.
Everything we know so far about ‘Strangers’
What is the film Strangers all about?
Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, this Netflix original is said to be a subversion of Hitchcock’s morbid black comedy. Strangers will supposedly revolve around the lives of students at Rosewood Country Day School that are filled with various kinds of hardships. After two students plan to tear each other apart, there is unbelievable damage. Two girls of totally opposite personalities, Drew and Elanor, become unlikely allies in pursuing their respective bullies.
On Twitter, Netflix simply describes the film as “a dark comedy about two girls who team up to go after the other’s bully.”
Who are the cast members?
Camila Mendes, popular for her role as Veronica Lodge in the teen series Riverdale, shall be starring in this film alongside Maya Hawke, known for her prominent role as Robin in the third season of Stranger Things. In an interview with PureWow, Mendes said she was “super excited” and stated that she was “really excited to get to work on that [Strangers]”, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson with whom Mendes has allegedly struck a close friendship. She has deemed the project as “one challenge” she is looking forward to.
According to Rappler, Mendes and Hawke shall be joined by other actors popular in various other shows, namely Jonathan Daviss from Outer Banks, Alisha Boe from Teen Wolf and 13 Reasons Why, Rish Shah from Ms. Marvel and Emmerdale, Ava Capri from Embattled, Maia Reficco from Kally’s Mashup, Paris Berelc from Alexa & Katie as well as Talia Ryder from Never Rarely Sometimes Always.
Deadline later revealed in a tweet on June 24, 2021, that Sophie Turner, acclaimed for her role as Sansa Stark in the blockbuster TV series Game of Thrones is shall be a part of the cast as well.
When will Strangers be available for streaming?
Given the production schedule, one can hope for a mid or later-2022 release for this highly-anticipated Netflix Original.
What is the production status of the film?
Likely Story, a popular production company that has already collaborated on projects like I’m Thinking of Ending Things and Things Heard & Seen for Netflix, shall be working on this adaptation as well. According to Production Weekly, the film’s production was scheduled to be held from the summer of 2021.
Mendes even revealed herself to be hard at work with tennis lessons for her part in the film. Robinson, too, shared various images from the sets which denote that the production has already commenced.