Shailene Woodley to star in serial killer thriller Misanthrope

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Four years after his film WILD TALES was up for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, Argentine director Damián Szifron is now moving forward with a new project, one that looks to be his English language feature debut. The project is a serial killer thriller called MISANTHROPE, and Shailene Woodley has just signed on to star in it.

Scripted by Szifron and Jonathan Wakeham, MISANTHROPE will tell the story of 

a talented but troubled cop who is recruited by the FBI to help profile and track down a murderer.

Filming is scheduled to take place in Atlanta later this year. FilmNation Entertainment will be presenting the project to potential distributors at the Cannes Film Festival later this month.

Woodley explains what drew her to MISANTHROPE: 

Screenplays like MISANTHROPE, that are this well executed both in theme and tone, are rare to come by with a director like Damian behind the wheel. I have complete trust we will create something that will have a profound impact on cinema and will resonate with audiences, especially given the times we are living in right now. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this team."

Szifron adds: 

I’m privileged to be working with an actress as talented and inspiring as Shailene Woodley, this incredible producing team, and the support of FilmNation. MISANTHROPE will deliver the kind of cinematic experience that made me a filmmaker and I can’t wait to share it with audiences all over the world."

FilmNation is financing MISANTHROPE, and the company's CEO Glen Basner belives this will be "a decade defining film". FilmNation's Aaron Ryder will be producing the film with Woodley and Stuart Manashil.

I'm not familiar with Szifron's work, but I am a fan of Woodley and am totally on board to watch her track down a serial killer.