In the latest book-to-film adaptation news, a dark novel about a taboo interspecies romance is set to be remade into a feature film. And Claire Foy has been cast as its complicated lead, ready to do a literal deep dive for love.
The Pisces, a 2018 novel by Melissa Broder, follows the emotional turmoil of a woman named Lucy. When we first encounter her, things aren’t going so well; her doctoral dissertation is on hold because of her writer’s block, and her boyfriend just left her for another woman. Reeling and alone, Lucy’s inevitable spiral leads her into the arms of Theo, an attractive merman dealing with just as much self-hate and insecurities as she is. The Pisces sees them falling into a disturbing forbidden relationship, exploring the nuances of addiction, gender roles, and relationship dynamics.
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Foy will star as the troubled protagonist, a casting decision that’s surprising given the actress’ filmography. The Emmy-winner has played Neil Armstrong’s wife (First Man) and a vigilante hacker (The Girl in the Spider’s Web), but most people her know her best as Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II; she played the famous monarch for the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown before being replaced by Olivia Colman.
No word on who’s going to play the sexy merman across the British actress, but The Pisces’ screenplay will be a collaboration between Broder and writer and director Gillian Robespierrre (Obvious Child, Landline). And the author will have her hands busy — her high anticipated second novel Milk Fed will be released next month, and it's also being adapted into a television series.
The premise of The Pisces seems purposely disconcerting, but if we survived a woman falling in love with a fish (The Shape of Water) and Robert Pattinson getting up to some fishy behavior to star in The Lighthouse, I think we can handle a sexy merman erotic romance. (I think.)