5 Movies to Watch If You Liked Anne Hathaway’s Verity

This article discusses domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Colleen Hoover adaptations have become a notable force in Hollywood, with films including “It Ends With Us,” “Reminders of Him,” and “Regretting You” drawing strong box-office returns. That momentum helps explain the arrival of “Verity,” one of Hoover’s bleakest and most provocative novels, as a star-studded thriller directed by Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick,” “The Idea of You”), written by Nick Antosca, who worked on Apple’s television adaptation of “Cape Fear,” and led by Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. But what exactly is “Verity” about?

The story begins with Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson), a struggling fiction writer on her way to meet a major publishing company. Before she reaches the appointment, she is drenched in a cyclist’s blood after witnessing a horrifying accident. A mysterious man offers her the shirt off his back, and Lowen is stunned to encounter him again at the publishing meeting. He is Jeremy Crawford (Hartnett), the husband of celebrated thriller author Verity Crawford (Hathaway). Following the death of their daughter and a devastating car accident, Verity is supposedly trapped in a catatonic state and unable to complete her bestselling series. Jeremy asks Lowen to stay with the family and finish the books. But is Verity truly unresponsive—and should Lowen act on the attraction growing between her and Jeremy?

Packed with flashbacks, unreliable narrators, and a decidedly psychosexual edge, “Verity” is campy, provocative, and frequently outrageous. If you’re looking for what to watch after “Verity,” these five films offer even stronger examples of the twists, gothic tension, and literary melodrama that helped make the adaptation possible.

After Gillian Flynn’s acclaimed thriller “Gone Girl” became a sensation in 2012, countless books and films tried to recreate its blend of domestic suspense and shocking reversals. “The Girl on the Train,” released in 2016, followed a similar blueprint with middling results. “Verity” also owes a clear debt to “Gone Girl.” In Flynn’s novel and her 2014 film adaptation, directed by David Fincher, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) is a handsome but aimless man whose marriage is already strained. On the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick has brought his New York-born wife, Amy Elliott Dunne (Rosamund Pike), back to his small Missouri hometown to help care for his sick mother. Then Amy disappears, leaving their home in disarray. As police investigate the possibility of a kidnapping, flashbacks drawn from Amy’s diary gradually complicate the story.

“Gone Girl,” to borrow the language of Bill Hader’s famous “Saturday Night Live” character Stefon, has everything. More importantly, it established the template for thrillers featuring unreliable narrators, shifting timelines, morally compromised protagonists, and revelations that force viewers to question every version of events. “Gone Girl” remains one of the finest modern thriller adaptations, making it essential viewing after “Verity.”

For anyone who enjoyed “Verity” but wanted a more knowingly ridiculous and stylish version of its premise, Paul Feig’s “A Simple Favor” is an ideal follow-up. Adapted from Darcey Bell’s 2017 novel, the 2018 film opens with videos from mommy blogger Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick), who is normally focused on recipes and crafts but is now asking viewers to help locate her missing friend, Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). Emily is unforgettable in a wardrobe dominated by red-soled Christian Louboutin shoes, and she quickly forms an unlikely friendship with the sweetly awkward Stephanie after they meet during a school pickup. When Emily asks Stephanie to look after her son while she handles her demanding fashion job in Manhattan, Stephanie agrees. Emily, however, never returns. Stephanie is left caring for the child, growing closer to Emily’s husband Sean Townsend (Henry Golding), and digging into the secrets surrounding her friend’s disappearance.

Revealing the outrageous turns in “A Simple Favor” would ruin much of its appeal, but this is arguably the film “Verity” should have been. Feig’s sharp direction and Jessica Sharzer’s lively screenplay turn the material into a stylish, self-aware camp classic that stands comfortably on its own. Serve it with an icy, bone-dry gin martini and make it your next thriller after “Verity.”

Here’s a surprising piece of Oscar history: only one of Alfred Hitchcock’s universally celebrated thrillers won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was not “Vertigo” or “Psycho,” but “Rebecca,” his 1940 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 Gothic novel. The film’s themes and setup are an obvious influence on “Verity” and many other psychosexual thrillers, making it essential viewing for fans of Hoover’s story.

Following a brief but memorable prologue involving the estate known as Manderley, “Rebecca” introduces an unnamed young woman (Joan Fontaine) traveling through Europe while working as a paid companion to a wealthy, unpleasant older woman. During the journey, she meets Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier), an enigmatic and handsome widower. Maxim soon asks her to marry him, sweeping her away to his imposing country estate in England: Manderley.

As the new Mrs. de Winter tries to adjust to life as the wife of a powerful and wealthy man, she finds herself intimidated by the estate’s cold, unsettling housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson). Mrs. Danvers remains fixated on Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, whose presence continues to dominate Manderley. The parallels with “Verity”—a young woman, a troubled husband, and an absent wife whose influence lingers—are unmistakable. Hitchcock’s Gothic classic is a must-see, though the 2020 remake starring Armie Hammer and Lily James is best skipped.

The second Paul Feig movie on this list is not quite as strong as “A Simple Favor,” but it shares that film’s high-energy, lurid sensibility. Like “Verity,” it is a pulpy literary adaptation—in this case, based on Freida McFadden’s novel of the same name. In the hit 2025 film, Sydney Sweeney plays Millie Calloway, a young woman recently released from prison who is living in her car. Her circumstances seem to change when the wealthy and glamorous Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) hires her as a housemaid at the family’s enormous home. Trouble begins almost immediately. Nina behaves erratically and appears determined to make Millie’s life difficult, while Millie finds comfort in Nina’s seemingly kind and handsome husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), who also appeared in “It Ends With Us.” Before long, the film reveals the darker game being played inside the Winchester household.

A warning for viewers: “The Housemaid” deals extensively with domestic abuse, so consult the relevant trigger warnings before watching this psychosexual thriller. Seyfried gives a commanding performance as Nina, while Feig supplies his usual dry wit and Rebecca Sonnenshine delivers a smart screenplay. The result is an entertaining, increasingly grim ride that becomes bloody and intense without losing its sense of fun. By the time Taylor Swift’s “I Did Something Bad” plays over the credits, the film has fully embraced both women’s rights and women’s wrongs.

Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 2011 adaptation of “Jane Eyre,” Charlotte Brontë’s influential dark romance, may have been overlooked when it was released. Fans of “Verity,” however, should give it a chance. Like “Rebecca,” the film reveals the literary roots of the kind of gothic romance and psychological suspense associated with Colleen Hoover. Mia Wasikowska stars as Jane, an orphan who endured a painful childhood before becoming a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets the wealthy and charismatic Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Although Rochester appears to be promised to the beautiful Blanche Ingram (Imogen Poots), Jane develops feelings for him—and he returns them with equal intensity.

There is, however, one significant complication involving an attic and a series of small fires. Since “Jane Eyre” is a familiar classic, many viewers may already know where the story leads, but it’s best not to reveal the details for anyone discovering it for the first time. Wasikowska and Fassbender anchor the film with strong performances, supported by Dame Judi Dench, Jamie Bell, Sally Hawkins, Tamzin Merchant, and Simon McBurney. It is a richly atmospheric choice for anyone seeking another twisted romance after “Verity.”

“Verity” is currently playing in theaters.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).