Sydney Sweeney To Star And Produce ‘Custom Of The Country’ From Studiocanal And Rabbit’s Foot Films; Josie Rourke Directing
Sydney Sweeney is attached to star in an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s classic Custom of the Country for Studiocanal and Charles Finch’s Rabbit’s Foot Films. Principal photography begins imminently. Josie Rourke will direct and adapted the script from Wharton’s novel.
“Undine Spragg is the original dangerous woman. Edith Wharton’s character has forever fascinated, seduced and infuriated readers,” Rourke said “The Custom of the Country was Wharton’s great American novel and Undine Spragg sweeps across America and through Europe at top speed, during a time of immense economic and social change. The book whistles with modernity and as I was writing this adaptation, Sydney Sweeney lived in my head as this iconic character — it’s as if Wharton sat down a century ago and wrote the role for her. I’m thrilled to be working with this luminous actor, Charles Finch, Alison Owen and Studiocanal to bring this novel to the screen.”
Sweeney plays Undine Spragg, a fiercely ambitious woman from the Midwest, who strives for the social heights of turn of the century New York. Armed with beauty, daring/hustle and sheer force of will/unwavering ambition, Undine battles an entrenched elite, fearlessly courting controversy, until love and fortune align.
Sweeney, Charles Finch, Alison Owen of Monumental Pictures and Studiocanal will produce. Studiocanal will fully finance, releasing theatrically in all its territories (the UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Poland and Benelux) launching worldwide sales at EFM.
Nina Gold is the casting director and is in the process of building the ensemble around Sweeney. EVP of Global Production Ron Halpern, US Chief Creative Officer, Shana Eddy-Grouf and VP Development and Production Isobel Carter are overseeing for Studiocanal.
Sweeney has a busy year which included her most recent pic The Housemaid, which recently passed the $200 million global box-office milestone with a sequel in the works. She also earned strong reviews for playing boxer Christy Martin in the biopic Christy.
Rourke is best known for her directorial debut Mary Queen of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie for Focus Features.
Sweeney is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Wasserman and Attorney Stewart Brookman. Rourke is repped by Marnie Podos at Under New Mgmt and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
