Elizabeth Moss to Lead Max Minghella's Thriller 'Shell'

Publish date: 2024-08-27

We already know that Elisabeth Moss and Max Minghella make an excellent on-screen team (specifically when it comes to tearing apart the patriarchy) but now The Handmaid’s Tale duo are teaming up for a film that will see Moss as the star with Minghella directing. Packing out a cast of A-list talent, the call sheet for the psychological thriller titled Shell will also feature performances by Kate Hudson (Glass Onion) and Kaia Gerber (Babylon).

Ever so slightly mirroring the premise of the dystopian Hulu series, The Handmaid’s Tale, Shell sees Moss starring as a wannabe actress named Samantha (Moss). While trudging through the murky waters of the entertainment business, she’s introduced to Shell, a beauty company that promises its users that it can help them stay young forever. Seeing this as a way to ensure her place in the industry, Samantha accepts a free trial offer and hits it off with Shell’s CEO, Zoe Shannon (Hudson). But, when several prior patients go missing, including social media mogul Chloe Benson (Gerber), the wool begins to fall from Samantha’s eyes as she realizes that things are not as they seem. With her background in similar projects like The Veil and The Invisible Man, Moss is certainly up for the task of this twisted thriller.

Like many other titles including Disney and Pixar’s latest animated flick Elemental and Martin Scorcese’s return with Killers of the Flower Moon, the movie will be heading to Cannes but in a buying capacity. Along with directing, Minghella also produces under his Blank Tape (Teen Spirit) banner alongside Moss and Lindsey McManus for Love & Squalor Pictures (Shining Girls). They’ll be joined by Automatik’s Fred Berger (La La Land) and Alicia Van Couvering (Cop Car) with Jamie Bell serving as executive producer. Lou scribe Jack Stanley penned the script.

RELATED: 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 5: Bradley Whitford and Max Minghella on How Gilead Is For Lovers Now

What Else Has Max Minghella Directed?

While he’s well known for his roles in shows including The Handmaid’s Tale and The Mindy Project as well as a sprawling career in films such as Babylon and The Social Network, Minghella has dipped his toe into the world of directing once before with 2018’s Teen Spirit. Starring Elle Fanning, Rebecca Hall, and Zlatko Burić the coming-of-age tale centers on a teenage girl with big city dreams. With the goal of becoming a pop sensation, she enters a singing competition to make her dreams a reality.

While we patiently wait for Hulu to bless us with the sixth and final season of A Handmaid’s Tale, we’ll be eagerly awaiting more news about Minghella and Moss’ latest collaboration in Shell. Check out a trailer for Teen Spirit below to get a feel for Minghella’s directorial style.

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