Sony Sets Crime Drama ‘Where The Crawdads Sing’ With Daisy Edgar-Jones For Summer 2022 Release

Do Sony Pictures have something on their hands that none of us know about? Because Sony has dated a non-franchise crime drama for summer 2022: an adaptation of Delia Owens‘ celebrated first novel, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” now scheduled for a June 24, 2022 release. What makes ‘Crawdads’ so special that makes Sony bullish enough to take on Paramount Pictures’ untitled “Transformers” project starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback?

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Well, there’s a lot of talent involved, but much of it up and coming and perhaps still unknown to the general moviegoing populace. The crime drama stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, the breakout star of Hulu‘s “Normal People,” and she’s picked up so much work since that critically-acclaimed series, but little of it has come out yet.

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There is lots to admire from the project though, it’s being written by Lucy Alibar of “Beasts Of the Southern Wild,” produced by Reese Witherspoon (and Lauren Neustadter, for Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine), and the ensemble also features Garrett Dillahunt, David Strathairn, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer Jr., Jayson Warner Smith and more. Olivia Newman, known for the celebrated indie “First Match” (which won two major awards at the SXSW Film Festival in 2018) and episodes of “Chicago Fire,” will direct.

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The film is described as a crime thriller and a coming of age story, and perhaps it’s all these ingredients — and maybe the fact that “Transformers” is rolling the dice on lesser-known actors in the lead? — that has made Sony confident to make it a summer theatrical film. Unless they’re just doing some summer alternative programming, but that’s usually the move of a smaller studio like Focus Features of Searchlight.

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Here’s a synopsis:

The story is set in the 1950s and revolves around a young woman named Kya Clark, who is from extremely rural North Carolina. Known by others as the Marsh Girl, she lives alone in nature—but the draw of other people, and specifically love, brings her into contact with the greater world. This novel has a mystery at its core, but it can be read on a variety of levels. There is great nature writing; there is coming of age, and there is literature. Crawdads is a story lovingly told—one that takes its time in developing its characters and setting and in developing the story. You’ll want to relax and take your time as well, and when you’re done, you will want to talk about it with another reader. 

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Still, the point remains: when was the last time a major studio put out a non-franchise film in the middle of blockbuster season? It’s more and more uncommon, especially in the post-COVID-19 age, which supposedly hit theaters so badly, all you’re going to see on screen is tentpoles. Maybe not so fast? It’s one worth keeping an eye on. Is Sony super confident about Daisy Edgar-Jones as a big potential star? Personally, I’m very intrigued by the whole proposal and this super confident move by Sony.