Actor Anya Taylor-Joy is truly unstoppable. You only need to look to her portrayal of Beth Harmon in Netflix's record-breaking series, The Queen's Gambit to understand why. Now, she's returning to our screens once more, with news she will be starring in a new adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's 1932 novel Laughter in the Dark.
Taylor-Joy is reuniting with The Queen's Gambit creator, Scott Frank for the new project; a creative collaboration that from what we've seen so far, is one for the ages. Speaking to The Ringer's entertainment podcast, The Watch, Frank spilled the beans on the upcoming film, revealing that he had been "dying" to adapt the book for years.
“It’s a great book and it’s going to be a valentine to movies, I’m going to do it as a film noir,” he explained. “The book is more about art and paintings, but I’m going to make it more of a movie within a movie. It’s a really nasty, wonderful, little thriller.”
For those unfamiliar with Vladimir Nabokov's tale, Laughter in the Dark follows the story of married, middle-aged art critic Albert Albinus, who becomes enthralled by 17-year-old Margot Peters, an aspiring actress and model who works at the local cinema. Once Margot recognises the hold she has over Albert, she convinces her old lover Axel Rex to join her in executing an elaborate plan to drain Albert of all his money. Undisputedly, Taylor-Joy will take on the role of Margot, with other cast members yet to be confirmed.
Following off the back of the incredibly successful Netflix miniseries, which became the streaming service's biggest scripted limited series in history, Scott Frank and Anya Taylor-Joy certainly have a reputation to uphold in Laughter in the Dark. Previously, not many films or series have been able to successfully adapt Nabokov's tone and style. Based on their short, but deeply impressive history working today, there's no question that Anya Taylor-Joy's performance in Laughter in the Dark will make its mark.
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