Dakota Johnson to play struggling writer in 'Verity' film adaptation

Dakota Johnson is set to star in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, Verity, following in the footsteps of Blake Lively.

Johnson will portray Lowen Ashleigh, a writer on the verge of financial collapse, who lands a life-changing opportunity.

She will be joined by Josh Hartnett, who plays Jeremy, the husband of injured author Verity, who hires Lowen to complete the final book in a popular series after a mysterious accident leaves Verity unable to write.

"Upon arrival at the lavish Crawford estate, Lowen slowly learns that things are not exactly as they seem with the discovery of a secret, unfinished manuscript that may divulge chilling admissions about the family’s past," the official logline notes.

"As Lowen ingratiates herself with Jeremy and his young son Crew, she must discern if Verity’s writings are merely lurid works of fiction or an ominous warning by a deranged psychopath."

In addition, Johnson will feature in the highly anticipated 2026 releases of Michael Angelo Covino's Splitsville and Celine Song's Materialists.

Verity's production comes right after one of the largest and most talked-about films of the summer, which was based on another of Hoover's best-selling novels, It Ends With Us.

It Ends With Us generated about £285 million at the movie office, but its two main characters, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, have subsequently filed lawsuits against one another after receiving complaints from both parties.

Of her 26 published works, 23 have been self-published by Hoover, while Verity is her eighth self-published novel.