Sarah Catherine Hook Lands Lead Role in "Crush"

A massive python, a race against time, and a fight for survival are coming to the big screen, with The White Lotus breakout Sarah Catherine Hook set to lead 20th Century Studios’ upcoming thriller Crush.

What’s Happening:

According to Deadline, Hook has landed her first major starring role in a feature film with the snake-themed survival thriller, which is expected to begin production in Australia this fall. Overlord director Julius Avery is attached to direct the project from a screenplay by John Fischer.
While official plot details are being kept under wraps, Crush is described as a propulsive, ticking-clock survival thriller centered on a woman hiking alone in the Everglades. After waking up trapped in the crushing coils of a massive python, she must fight to stay alive as the enormous snake steadily tightens its grip and every breath becomes a struggle.
The film is inspired by true events and is expected to unfold primarily in real time, adding to the pressure as the protagonist attempts to escape an increasingly deadly situation. The contained premise gives the film a straightforward but high-stakes hook, placing Hook at the center of a battle between one person and a formidable predator.
Crush also has an unusual journey to the screen. Fischer originally wrote the screenplay as a spec script under a pseudonym while working as an executive vice president at Temple Hill Entertainment, the production company behind films including Smile. Unsure how the concept would be received, Fischer reportedly kept his professional connection to the company separate from the screenplay.
The script gained attention after appearing on the Black List, prompting Fischer to reveal the project to his colleagues at Temple Hill. The company ultimately came aboard as a producer, with the project later making its way to 20th Century Studios following a competitive bidding situation.
Temple Hill will produce the film alongside Scott Glassgold of 12:01 Films. J.R. Young is overseeing the project for 20th Century Studios.
For Hook, Crush represents another major step forward following her breakout performance as Piper Ratliff in the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus. Set in Thailand, the season featured Hook alongside Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola.
Hook played Piper, a college senior navigating the tension between her spiritual ambitions and the privileged lifestyle of her family. Her performance placed her alongside an ensemble that became one of the season’s major draws, with Posey’s portrayal of Piper’s mother, Victoria Ratliff, generating plenty of attention.
Hook has continued building momentum since her The White Lotus appearance. She recently appeared in Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling romantic comedy novel. The movie became one of Netflix’s most-watched films globally during the first half of the year, recording 77.7 million views according to the streamer’s What We Watched report.
Next, Hook will appear opposite Rhys Ifans and Lily Rabe in Lindsey Ryan’s independent film Capsized, which recently premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
Now, Crush will allow Hook to move into a very different genre. Rather than navigating family drama and social satire in The White Lotus or romance in People We Meet on Vacation, the actress will be tasked with carrying a tense survival story in which the threat is quite literally closing in.
With production planned for Australia this fall, more details about the cast, release plans and the film’s real-life inspiration are expected to emerge as Crush moves toward production.
For now, one thing is clear: Sarah Catherine Hook is trading luxury resorts and romantic comedy for the Everglades, a massive python and one very bad day in the wilderness.

More 20th Century Studios News:

What We're Covering

Fun & Games

Sarah Catherine Hook Lands Lead Role in 20th Century Studios’ Python Thriller "Crush"

Thank You!