Ron Howard’sEden, which was previously announced asOrigin of Species, will begin production in Australia next month, and it has just added two of the buzziest names in Hollywood as part of its ever-expanding and impressive-looking cast. Joining the project alongside the previously announcedJude Law,Ana de Armas, andDaniel Brühlare Oscar nomineeVanessa KirbyandSydney Sweeneyhave replacedAlicia VikanderandDaisy Edgar-Jonesin the cast after the latter two were forced to drop out.
Kirby is about to appear in a role that’s being touted for more awards notice, as Josephine inRidley Scott’s upcoming epicNapoleonalongsideJoaquin Phoenix. She’s also just come off the latestMission: Impossiblefilm,Dead Reckoning, and will reprise her role as the White Widow in 2025’sMission: Impossible 8.
Sweeney has become a household name rapidly following turns in HBO’s acclaimed and highly-watched seriesThe White LotusandEuphoria. She will next be seen in thesteamy romantic comedy,Anyone But You, alongsideGlen Powell.And that’s not all. The extremely exciting-sounding film has also drafted inHans Zimmerto conduct its score, which will mark the tenth time Howard and Zimmer have collaborated, a partnership that spans over 30 years going back to 1991’sBackdraft.
What is Ron Howard’s ‘Eden’ About?
Edenis reportedly rooted in a true story, drawing inspiration from two distinct perspectives on the same incident. The creators of the film characterize it as a “darkly comic tale of murder and survival, set around a group of eclectic characters who abandon civilization for the Galapagos. They are all searching for the answer to that ever-pressing question that plagues us all: what is the meaning of life”. They add that the film “explores the human condition in ways that are unexpected, absurd, humorous, sexy, but above all thrilling and deeply suspenseful”.
For the past 15 years, Howard has been eager to share a particular story. His interest was sparked during a visit to the Galápagos Islands, where the actual events occurred. Right before the pandemic hit, he joined forces with writerNoah Pink,who’s known for his work onTetris,to bring this story to life.
The film isthe latest true story to be adapted by Howard, following last year’s very well-receivedThirteen Lives, which documented the story of a Thai school soccer team that was trapped in a series of underground caves, and the daring rescue attempts to save them. The Amazon-produced film was released in August last year, which perhaps cost it a run at awards notice come the winter.
