Classy Casting: Charlize Theron to star in Dark Places while Colin Firth joins Nicole Kidman for Before I Go To Sleep

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Two top Hollywood actresses are going to get a chance to headline a pair of thrillers based on bestselling novels. Both women are Academy Award winners and have proven that they can carry a film on their own, but what remains to be seen is which film will be the better piece of entertainment?

First up, Charlize Theron will star in the adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s DARK PLACES. The film will be directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (PRETTY THINGS, SARAH’S KEY). The film will be produced by Theron as well. DARK PLACES is the story of Libby Day, a woman who, at the age of 7, survives the massacre of her family and testifies against her brother as the murderer. Twenty-five years later, a group obsessed with solving notorious crimes confronts her with questions about the horrific event.

No other casting or release date was announced, but with Theron in the lead, expect a decent supporting cast to fill out the movie. The novel was excellent and is being fast-tracked alongside Flynn’s most recent novel, GONE GIRL, which is being adapted by David Fincher.

The other project is BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. The novel was one of my favorites of last year and is the story of a woman who wakes up every day remembering nothing—the result of a traumatic accident in her past—until one day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.

The novel is told in the form of a journal the unreliable narrator reads to remind her who she is. This is the stronger of the two projects and I am looking forward to seeing it realized on the big screen. BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP will be written and directed by Rowan Joffe (THE AMERICAN). Nicole Kidman was already cast along with Mark Strong as her therapist. The latest addition is Oscar winner Colin Firth as the husband. Solid casting.

Expect both films sometime next year.