Sydney Sweeney to Star in Sony’s Erotic Thriller Take on ‘Sleepy Hollow’

According to Deadline, Sony Pictures has snatched up “Hollow,” a new retelling of “Sleepy Hollow” that will star none other than Sydney Sweeney, based on Lindsey Anderson Beer’s debut novel. As it happens, Beer will also be directing the film.

A bidding war ensued for the project after the rights to the novel went to market, despite the novel not being published until Fall 2027.

The novel reimagines “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” from Katrina Van Tassel’s point of view, putting her at the center of the story instead of treating her as merely a romantic prize. This version turns Van Tassel into the key figure in a mystery described as a “seductive supernatural love triangle, mixing gothic thrills, psychological twists, and erotic thriller elements into a fresh, high-concept take on the classic tale.”

This will not be anything like Tim Burton’s “Sleepy Hollow,” starring Johnny Depp, which was a memorable adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic story. The fact that the Sweeney version is being described as an “erotic thriller,” while Ichabod Crane takes a back seat, means audiences will be getting something entirely different.

On paper, it sounds ludicrous, and warrants a big LOL. Turning a beloved gothic classic into a sensual, psychological mystery with Katrina Van Tassel at the center could either offer a bold reinvention or feel like a stretch too far.

Beer has only directed one feature, albeit a straight-to-streaming release, writing and directing “Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” in 2023. The film debuted at number one upon release and became Paramount+’s most-watched film. Additionally, she wrote “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser,” which also hit the top spot on Netflix.

Sweeney is coming off a couple of mid-budget hits, including “Anyone But You,” which grossed more than $210 million worldwide, and “The Housemaid,” which grossed nearly $400 million. That said, she has also had her fair share of box-office disappointments this decade, including “Madame Web” and “Christy.”

There is no word yet on when “Hollow” is expected to begin shooting, but Sweeney has a packed schedule ahead. She is currently in production on “Gundam,” and is expected to shoot “The Housemaid” sequel this fall, followed by, in no particular order, “Scandalous!,” “Custom of the Country,” “Split Fiction,” “I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl,” and, who knows, maybe even Edgar Wright’s “Barbarella.”