Jennifer Lawrence has a new project in the works with The Wives, and the murder mystery sounds very promising after another major hit. Lawrence has spent the last several years re-establishing herself as a star away from franchises like The Hunger Games or X-Men. Her continued bankability and talent means she remains one of Hollywood's most sought-after performers, allowing Jennifer Lawrence's upcoming movies to include new projects of different genres. She has dramas, horror-thrillers, and more in the works, and the announcement of The Wives brings a murder mystery movie to her filmography.
Murder mystery movies have long had a place in Hollywood, but interest in them ballooned in recent years thanks to a variety of hits. Kenneth Branagh made a trilogy of murder mysteries adapting Agatha Christie's books, with him starring as Hercule Poirot. Rian Johnson also delivered a modern classic in the genre with the release of Knives Out, which launched a new trilogy following Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc. There have been several other movies and shows that have chased these successes, and now The Wives' chances of being a hit look good based on its apparent tone.
The Wives Can Be Jennifer Lawrence's Version Of A Knives Out Murder Mystery
The Movie Should Be Very Comedic
The announcement of Jennifer Lawrence's murder mystery movie from THR did not come with any indication that The Wives is attempting to replicate Knives Out specifically, but the R-rated comedy approach does appear to be what the movie wants to be. The project was picked up by Apple and A24 after Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley developed the script. Breslin and Foley have never written a feature-length movie, but their previous credits are all comedy-leaning, with praise coming for blending genres, hilarious comedy, and strong social commentary.
Since Lawrence is fresh off starring in the R-rated raunchy comedy No Hard Feelings, pairing her with Breslin and Foley for a murder mystery invites comparisons to Knives Out over Murder on the Orient Express or other genre entries. Lionsgate saw Knives Out become a major success in 2019 as it received rave reviews and made $312 million worldwide. Whether The Wives will achieve those heights remains to be seen, but Breslin and Foley's past work implies that Lawrence's murder mystery will be another R-rated comedy in the vein of Knives Out.
The Wives' Inspiration Could Make Jennifer Lawrence's Murder Mystery Comedy Gold
It's Inspired By A Reality TV Show
Whereas Knives Out looked at subverting audience expectations with murder mysteries to deliver more twists and jokes, The Wives could take a more traditional comedic approach based on its inspiration. The film is at least partially inspired by the Real Housewives reality TV series according to reports. A murder mystery version of the expansive reality TV programming following wealthy women in various areas creates plenty of promise for the film's comedic potential.
It is unclear if Lawrence will play the detective in the murder mystery or one of the housewives who are murder suspects. There is little doubt that she can pull off either role with the necessary comedic timing. It would certainly be fun to see Lawrence get her own version of Hercule Poirot or Benoit Blanc and hilariously investigate the murder at hand. But, it would be equally exciting to see her become a parody of the more famous Housewives stars. In either case, The Wives' potential as a Knives Out-style R-rated murder mystery comedy centered around Lawrence is immense.
Source: THR
