Verity 2026

Verity (2026) is an upcoming psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Directed by Michael Showalter, the adaptation brings together Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett for a story built around a ghostwriter, a famous author and a family hiding disturbing secrets. Amazon MGM Studios has scheduled the film for a worldwide theatrical release in October.

Storyline

The story follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who gets an unexpected opportunity when she is hired by Jeremy Crawford to finish the bestselling book series written by his wife, Verity Crawford.

Verity has been left unable to continue her work after a mysterious accident, so Lowen moves into the Crawford family home to study Verity’s unfinished material and take over the series. What initially looks like a major career break quickly becomes something much darker.

While going through Verity’s papers, Lowen discovers what appears to be a disturbing autobiographical manuscript. Its contents raise deeply uncomfortable questions about Verity, her marriage to Jeremy and the tragedies surrounding their family.

From there, Verity becomes less about simply uncovering a secret and more about figuring out which version of the truth can actually be trusted. Lowen finds herself increasingly drawn toward Jeremy while becoming more suspicious of the woman whose story she has been hired to complete. The central tension comes from that uncertainty: is Lowen discovering the truth, or is she being manipulated by a carefully constructed story?

The film’s premise gives Showalter plenty of room to play with unreliable perspectives, obsession and the uneasy relationship between fiction and reality.

Cast & Performances

• Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh — Johnson leads the story as the struggling writer whose professional opportunity turns into a psychological nightmare.
• Anne Hathaway as Verity Crawford — Hathaway plays the bestselling author at the center of the mystery. The role gives her a much darker character to work with than many of her recent dramatic performances.
• Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford — Hartnett portrays Verity’s husband, who hires Lowen and becomes increasingly important to her understanding of the Crawford family.
• Ismael Cruz Córdova as Corey — Córdova appears in a supporting role within the film’s expanding circle of characters.
• Brady Wagner as Crew Crawford — Wagner plays Crew, part of Verity and Jeremy’s troubled family.

The main attraction is clearly the Hathaway-Johnson-Hartnett combination. Johnson has to carry much of the audience’s uncertainty as Lowen, while Hathaway’s Verity needs to remain compelling even when the character is largely experienced through other people’s perceptions.

Release Date & Where to Watch

Verity is an upcoming theatrical movie as of September 4, 2026. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed a worldwide theatrical release on October 2, 2026, with some international markets scheduled to begin showing the film on October 1. Early-access screenings in some locations are listed for September 30.

The film is an English-language psychological thriller/drama, directed by Michael Showalter and written by Nick Antosca, Colleen Hoover and Will Honley. Its listed runtime is 114 minutes, and it carries an R rating in the United States.