It seems there’s something in the air in Hollywood about Lizzie Borden. It was only a couple of years ago that we got the event series "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles" starring Christina Ricci, and now the notorious killer is headed to the big screen, with some big names attached.
THR reports that Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny will team up for an untitled movie set to be directed by Pieter Van Hees ("Waste Land"). The story will chronicle the events that led up to Borden’s brutal murder of her father and step-mother (with an axe no less), though she was never convicted of the crime. Sevigny will play Borden, with Stewart as the live-in maid Bridget Sullivan who testified at the trial, and who some people allege gave a deathbed confession stating she protected Lizzie by changing her testimony. Crime author Ed McBain also once floating the theory that Sullivan and Borden had an affair, and were discovered, leading to the murders. However, it remains to be seen which angle this film will take.
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There’s no word yet on when production might start, but the project is headed to the American Film Market and I’d wager if financing and distribution can be secured, cameras will roll.
@Danny other than Saoirse Ronan and maybe Brie Larson, none of the other actresses you mentioned venture far outside a certain type of character so they are all in the same boat. Yes in the past she played a certain type of character in some of her movies but since twilight ended she has filmed a more diverse range of roles.
Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Carey Mulligan, Emma Stone, Anna Kendrick, and Mia Wasikowska can all act circles around the wooden Stewart. She\’s not the best actress of her generation or any other generation. She has shown zero range, she can\’t create a real character, she admitted in an interview right here on IndieWire that she always plays some version of herself. She can\’t do accents, she proved that in SWATH, and she never even bothers to change up her voice, it\’s always the same monotone. She\’s famous for biting her lip and playing with her hair in every single film, that\’s not acting. She survives on aggressive PR and fans who still thing she\’s Bella (but who don\’t pay to see her indies in theaters). I don\’t care if the critics are all sheep and the French gave her some awards so they could get publicity for themselves, she still can\’t act, and this sounds like a made for TV movie. She isn\’t getting better offers than this?
Best actress of her generation? Considering that a short list of Stewart\’s generation of actresses includes Jennifer Lawrence, Rooney Mara, Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson, Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan, Anna Kendrick I think that\’s a stretch. Talented , yes. But she doesn\’t venture far outside a certain type of character.
It can be a great movie in this composition. Stewart is absolutely the best actress of her generation.
I\’m so into this. Mostly the Sevigny + Stewart team up.
This is so unnecessary, A waste of money especially with Stewart on board.
Dug Left Bank a lot, which Van Heese also did. Not sure a lesbian Lizzie Borden story will get financing, although I could see this being a decent indie hit if it was released in October
The Ricci version was actually this past spring on Lifetime – aired in April and May and was cancelled due to low ratings. Started off with 1.1m viewers and ended with under 700K. That doesn\’t seem to bode well for another take on the legend. But who knows? Although the lack of financing and start date certainly seems to put this in the nascent column.