We’ve all seen what happens when the debatable novelist Colleen Hoover gets even a taste of Hollywood. Ever since her first movies, It Ends With Us, and Regretting You,   she’s been on an epic losing streak when it comes to publicity. And now, she’s gearing up to release a movie adaptation of one of her most popular books, Verity. 

Will this be another hyped up box office bomb or a real thriller worth the watch? With Verity coming to the big screens in early 2026, Hoover will be put to a real test. Can she produce a comeback that puts her trainwreck of a past with both books and movies behind her? 

Verity is the book that took over booktok for being an incredibly disturbing thriller that will have you in chokehold from the moment you pick it up. The haunting story that’s taken over the internet follows the past of famous writer Verity and how it comes rushing back to the present after her car accident that left her fighting for life. But the story takes a darker turn when we find out she’s faking her injuries due to new writer, Lowen, finding her manuscript of her life. During Lowen’s realization that Verity isn’t who she says she is, she and Verity’s husband, Jeramy, kindle a new found, and slightly disturbing romance along the way. And now, the riveting and unsettling book is officially getting its very own movie adaptation.Hoover fans and haters alike are waiting to see if this could possibly be her redemption arc. 

But seriously, if this movie truly leans into the psychological thriller that it’s meant to be and steers clear from falling into the twisted and downright weird romances that Hoover recycles over and over again in all of her books and movies, it could be incredible. 

First, the good news. The casting of Verity recently came out and what a savior it’ll be for the press. With well rounded and popular actors playing the main roles, like Dakota Johnson playing Lowen and Anne Hathaway playing Verity, the movie could genuinely become ten times more exciting and unforgettable. 

The movie also has a chance to give the characters some real development. This brings up the problem often associated with Colleen Hoover’s books. The women are always there to fuel the emotional journey for the men. Specifically in Verity, Lowen, the main character, shares an odd admission to a trauma-filled life due to her sleepwalking problem. It’s only included to comfort Jeremy and give him something to relate to. The movie on the other hand, requires characters to act, react, and evolve on screen right in front of our eyes. Just think of the rushed and thrown together moments of Lowen’s reaction to Verity’s manuscript becoming something cinematic and filled with tension. 

But the bad news is the director. Please tell me who chose rom-com specialist Michael Showalter to direct a thriller. With movies like The Idea of You known for light heartedness and awkward flirting, he’s probably not the man for the job. Two trauma bonded people falling for each other is not the direction that the movie should go in. And that’s a real possibility considering we’ve never seen an ounce of horror in anything he’s ever created. 

And the biggest disaster of all…Lowen’s inner monologue. It’s an extremely prevalent structure in the book considering over half of it is written in her first person narrative. If the adaptation decides to do some cringy voice-over, they’ll ruin the movie right then and there. Imagine an eerie scene, like when Lowen spots Verity creeping around the house at the top of the stairs, and suddenly you hear Lowen’s painfully obvious thoughts narrating over it. “Oh no, is that Verity who’s watching me in the dark from the top of the stairs?” Quickest way to get yourself a Tubi worthy movie. 

So will we actually enjoy this movie? Well if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, Hoover’s writing, or finally seeing a potential improvement on the chaotic book version of Verity, then maybe this is for you. But it probably won’t be at the top of anyone’s “must watch” list anytime soon. 

And honestly, I think it’s worth keeping Verity on your radar, because the movie could go two ways: redeem the trail of failed Hoover adaptations by creating an elevated thriller, or expose every flaw already picked apart in the book even more. 

Either way, it’ll definitely be an interesting watch.