Katie Holmes (All We Had, upcoming Logan Lucky and The Gift) is set to star in the feature film The Secret, directed by Andy Tennant (Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama) and based on the best-selling book by Rhonda Byrne, it was announced today by Covert Media’s CEO Paul Hanson. Robert Cort will produce the film with Hanson. Covert will finance and handle worldwide sales on the feature.
Based on the self-help book, the screenplay is written by Bekah Brunstetter, writer on NBC’s hit drama This Is Us with participation from Tennant and longtime writing partner Rick Parks (Ever After: A Cinderella Story).
A hard-working young widow with three children hires a handyman to fix her house during a terrible storm. As the handyman grows closer to the family, he shares his philosophy of believing in the power of the universe to deliver what we want, but the widow soon realizes he carries a secret connection to her past.
“Our filmmakers have created a compelling family love story that embodies the principles of ‘The Secret,’” Cort said. “We intend to make a film as funny, emotional and endearing as its message is hopeful.”
Rhonda Byrne added, “I am so excited that the film version of ‘The Secret’ is finally here. This movie will not only be a great thrill for ‘The Secret’ fans across the planet, it’s also certain to ripple out and touch millions more people. ‘The Secret’ book was life changing for so many, and this movie continues that legacy within a stunning piece of entertainment.”
“We are thrilled to be building ‘The Secret’ with such a powerful combination of talent, both acting and directing, all rooted in a truly heartwarming script and the globally well-known book,” added Hanson.
The book, published in 2006, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, been translated into 50 different languages and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 190 weeks.
Covert’s Elissa Friedman (Ophelia) will serve as an executive producer alongside MCC’s Sasha Shapiro (Fury) and Anton Lessine (Fading Gigolo).
Katie Holmes started her career on the fan-favorite Dawson’s Creek and rose to stardom with roles in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, Pieces of April, The Ice Storm, and Steven Soderbergh’s soon to be released Logan Lucky. Holmes will have a cameo in the upcoming Ocean’s Eight set to be released by Warner Bros. on June 8, 2018.
Andy Tennant has directed some of the most beloved and successful romantic comedies of our day, including Ever After: A Cinderella Story starring Drew Barrymore which took home $98 million worldwide, Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon which grossed $180 million worldwide, and the hugely-successful Hitch starring Will Smith which garnered over $368 million worldwide.
Bekah Brunstetter’s credits include the fan favorite Switched at Birth on ABC and the short film Again, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to the hugely-successful This Is Us on NBC, she is currently working on the Starz! TV show American Gods staring Gillian Anderson and Crispin Glover.
