Amy Adams fulfills her primal desires by playing motherhood in Searchlight Pictures’ upcoming horror comedy Nightbitch. Based on Rachel Yoder’s novel of the same name, the story follows an artist who puts her career on hold to become a stay-at-home mom, but later realizes she’s unhappy with her new lifestyle.
As her nightly routine “takes a surreal turn,” her maternal instinct “manifests itself in the form of a dog,” according to the official synopsis. The film also marks Adams’ return to the big screen after a three-year-long hiatus, having last starred in Disney’s Disenchanted, which was released straight to the streaming platform.
Originally, Nightbitch was also supposed to be released on Hulu, but Searchlight later gave the film a theatrical release. Celebrated writer-director Marielle Heller, best known for her work on A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, will adapt Yoder’s acclaimed novel.
In the trailer, we get a glimpse of Adams’ character literally transforming into a dog and adopting dog-like tendencies like swallowing a tray of food in public and digging a hole in the front lawn. From the trailer, it can be inferred that the film is a mix of horrific realities and comical elements.
It’s not just about filling the plot with surprising aspects, but about the main character’s profound experience of maternal and animalistic empowerment.
“You’ll never be smart, happy or thin,” Adam’s character says in the trailer, hinting at the inner turmoil that comes with the changes in a new mother’s life. “Motherhood changes you, it reconnects you with some primal desires,” another character tells the protagonist.
Overall, it cleverly explores human versus animal instincts. Interestingly, Adams’ character is not given a name, further distancing her from humanity and allowing her instincts to define her existence.
The three-time Oscar-winning actress has several other projects lined up that are expected to begin filming in the coming years. These include Kornél Mundruczó’s At the Sea, The Invite with Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd, and Clara and the Sun with Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega.
Adams is also a co-producer of Nightbitch alongside director Marielle Heller, Anne Carey, Sue Naegle, Stacey O’Neil and Christina Oh. Scoot McNairy, Mary Holland, Jessica Harper, Zoe Chao, Ella Thomas, Stacey Swift, Archana Rajan, Adrienne Rose White, Darius de la Cruz and Roslyn Gentle are among the cast members.
Nightbitch will be released in theaters on December 6.
