Matt Craven and Taylor John Smith are the latest to join HBO’s upcoming Gillian Flynn adaptation.
Deadline reports that Craven (Resurrection, Disturbia) has been cast in Sharp Objects as small town police chief Vickery, with Smith (American Crime, Faking It) set to play prime suspect John Keene. They join Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Eliza Scanlen, Elizabeth Perkins, Madison Davenport and Chris Messina. The eight-episode series, adapted by Marti Noxon (UnREAL, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce) from Flynn’s book, will be directed by Jean Marc Vallée.
Sharp Objects, much like Flynn’s Gone Girl and Dark Places, is a character-driven crime thriller, in this case centering on crime reporter Camille Preaker (Adams). Preaker, having just been released from a psychiatric hospital, keeps to herself in order to try and forget her past, something that becomes increasingly more difficult to do as she is sent on assignment to investigate a murder in her Missouri hometown. As she uncovers more information surrounding the murder she finds the Southern hospitality of her hometown brings out the worst in her.
Craven’s police chief, a quiet and low-key man, finds himself in an odd spot when Adams’ reporter and a Kansas City Detective roll into his cozy, safe little town. Messina’s Detective Richard Willis is there to give his support to the chief and help out with the new faces as best he can. Smith’s Keene is the brother of the murder victim, a 13-year-old girl named Natalie. His behavior after the murder cause many involved in the investigation to treat him as the prime suspect.
Noxon, who wrote every episode of the series, also serves as showrunner. Vallée (Wild, Dallas Buyers Club) will direct all eight episodes as he did with HBO’s currently airing limited series hit Big Little Lies. Noxon, Flynn, Vallée, Adams, Nathan Ross and Gregg Fienberg executive produce.