On screens both big and small, Shailene Woodley has become quite an adept young actress, one who is capable of soulful emotional depth and vividly earnest sincerity. Whether she's leading giant blockbusters like the Divergent series, starring in weepy romantic dramas like The Fault in Our Stars, or stealing the spotlight in intimate indies like The Spectacular Now, the capable actress remains adaptable and expendable, particularly with her Emmy-nominated performance in HBO's acclaimed Big Little Lies. Therefore, it's not at all surprising that Woodley has many promising projects lined up.
If you love Shailene Woodley, here are the movies that you should look out for in the months and years ahead, including The Last Letter From Your Lover and The Fallout.
The Last Letter From Your Lover - July 23rd, 2021 (Completed)
Adapted from Jojo Moyes' 2012 novel, The Last Letter From Your Lover is an upcoming romantic drama starring Felicity Jones as a bright journalist who discovers a treasure trove of steamy London love letters. From there, we travel back to 1960, when a daring socialite (Shailene Woodley) enters into a zealous affair out of wedlock. Intensely drawn by these long-forgotten postings, our lead tracks down the smitten youths behind these passionate words. Also starring Callum Turner, Joe Alwyn, and Nabhaan Rizwan, the latest film from director Augustine Frizzell (Never Goin' Back) sounds like the type of familiar English-based melodrama that we can predictably expect from the best-selling novelist. Still, it boasts an exceptional cast, which should play in its favor.
In select regions, including the U.S., The Last Letter From Your Letter will drop on Netflix on July 23rd. In the U.K. and Ireland, meanwhile, it'll premiere theatrically on August 6th.
The Fallout - TBA (Completed)
Having won the Grand Jury Prize at this year's unconventional SXSW, there's no denying that The Fallout is an urgent and intensely relevant high school drama, particularly with Jenna Ortega giving her best, most devastating performance. Following the traumatic aftermath of a school shooting, which fundamentally warps the life of a once-carefree teenager, this coming-of-age drama isn't lighthearted in its stark approach, but first-time writer-director Megan Park finds the tender humanity of her youthful lead characters, while also giving proven performers like Shailene Woodley time to shine in key scenes.
Also starring Maddie Ziegler, Julie Bowen, and John Ortiz, The Fallout has the potential to be quite a controversial lightning rod when it premieres. That said, it'll unfortunately skip theaters, as HBO Max acquired the festival favorite for a planned fall release. While that might hinder its awards chances, it'll hopefully allow the standout debut to discover a wider audience, most notably with teenage viewers. Be on the lookout for The Fallout.
Misanthrope - TBA (Post-Production)
Centered around a troubled-yet-talented cop (Shailene Woodley) who's recruited by the FBI in order to track down a malicious murderer, Misanthrope admittedly doesn't have the most original logline. That said, the talent involved (in front and behind the camera) does inspire confidence. Alongside our lead actress, the serious-minded movie will star Ben Mendelsohn, Ralph Ineson (The Witch), and Jovan Adepo (Overlord). Additionally, Misanthrope comes from co-writer/director Damian Szifron, best known for his Oscar-nominated anthology film, Wild Tales. Furthermore, Woodley will also produce this upcoming thriller, demonstrating the actress's assurance in this suspenseful material.
Production wrapped on Misanthrope in Montreal earlier this year. Now, the forthcoming thriller is in post-production and, more likely than not, it'll premiere in 2022 — though it's possible that the movie will make its way into the fall festival circuits, particularly if Shailene Woodley's fellow producers want her brooding performance to receive awards consideration. We'll have a better idea of Misanthrope's planned rollout later this year.
The Fence - TBA (Pre-Production)
Certainly, Shailene Woodley isn't shy about her political beliefs. The outspoken actress has been transparent about her policy opinions; Woodley has even been vocal about pursuing a career in politics. Likewise, the award-nominated actress is unafraid to push her views into her work — even in a farcical fashion. Certainly, that appears to be the case with The Fence, a high-minded send-up from director Grímur Hákonarson (Rams).
Reuniting with The Spectacular Now's Miles Teller, The Fence follows two liberal newlyweds who become increasingly at odds with their extremely conservative neighbor (William Hurt), an ex-marine with a nine-foot-tall fence that he insists on building to safeguard himself from the threat of potential terrorists — much to the distress of the people around him (per Deadline). Not much else is known about this social satire otherwise, though it's the type of premise that could prove to be a bit controversial, whether successful or not. Filming was expected to start in March, but that ship has now sailed. Therefore, it's unclear where this project sits in development.
Robots - TBA (Pre-Production)
In what could prove to be a clever concept if it's done right, Jack Whitehall and Shailene Woodley will star in Robots, an intriguing dark comedy centered around "a womanizer and a gold digger who learn humanity when forced to team up and pursue robot doubles of themselves, who have fallen in love and run away together," per Deadline. From two-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony Hines (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), who will co-direct alongside Casper Christensen (Klown), there's a chance that this movie leans heavily on the raunch, especially with its enjoyably wacky premise.
In today's comedy landscape, it's becoming increasingly rare for high-concept farces to thrive on the big screen. So, there's something admirable about Robots' worthwhile desire to tell a high-tech story in such a goofy genre. Hopefully, the writers and stars make the most of it, particularly as production is expected to start in August. There are no other updates available, but here's hoping that something fun becomes of this one.
Girl Named Sue - TBA (Announced)
Reuniting with Big Little Lies' Jean-Marc Vallée, who'll produce through his Crazyrose label alongside Nathan Ross, Shailene Woodley is signed on to lead Girl Named Sue, a drama-thriller centered around DEA agent Sue Webber-Brown, who played a major part in creating the Drug Endangered Child (DEC) protocol. Written by husband and wife team Lisa Cole and Mark Monroe, who worked on documentaries like The Cove, this biopic will follow Webber-Brown's prolific work throughout the '90s, particularly as she saved thousands of kids' lives through her guidance — even if it comes at the cost of her own home life, notably as she risks her career and her family's safety, per Deadline.
Directed by Fernando Coimbra (Sand Castles), Girl Named Sue could prove to be an involving film and an extremely demanding role for its central star, but also one that showcases her proven dramatic prowess. It's unclear where the upcoming film is in development presently, but if it comes together soon, we'll be sure to keep you posted.
Panopticon - TBA (Announced)
From executive producer Ridley Scott, Panopticon is expected to be a livewire thriller with a star-studded cast and heavy tension, based on early reports. Alongside Shailene Woodley, the movie will also star Anthony Mackie and Jacob Latimore (The Chi) and it'll be directed by Andrés Baiz (Narcos), working from a script by Emily Jerome. As for the story, it follows Chase (Woodley), an ambitious Wall Street trader who seizes on a hot investment opportunity in a private prison group known as PPC Correctional. In the process, Chase uncovers a big operation with potentially devastating consequences. Caught between doing the right thing and following the money, Chase teams up with a prison guard (Mackie) to take on a culture that's rife with corruption and contemptible individuals, in order to dismantle the system that turned her into a corporate superstar.
According to Deadline, production was expected to start sometime this month, but those plans have apparently been dashed. It's possible that this upcoming movie is gearing up silently, but Panopticon is ultimately stuck in limbo at the present moment.
After Exile - TBA (Announced)
Following his release from prison after an innocent man is killed in a violent robbery, ex-convict Mike Delaney (Shia LaBeouf) must attempt to re-enter his old life, where he and his ex-criminal father (Robert DeNiro) attempt to save Mike's younger brother from a future that's driven by drugs and crime. That's the story at the center of After Exile, an upcoming drama set to be directed by Joshua Michael Stern (Jobs) from a screenplay written by Anthony Thorne and Michael Tovo. Based on the latter's involvement, this project could prove to be an uplifting and personal redemption tale, as the script is based on Tovo's life story. That said, it's unclear where the movie is in development.
Announced in 2019 via Deadline, After Exile has been stalled, most likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If it comes together, it'll likely see some casting changes, notably with Shia LaBeouf's well-publicized troubles. In any case, After Exile is also expected to feature Shailene Woodley as Dana, who paved the way for Mike's difficult life of crime.
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