Elizabeth Banks has found her newest role and dare we say: she’s going to crush it. The Love and Mercy star has signed on to join filmmaker Christine Jeffs’ production, A Mistake in the leading role. Along with directing the feature, Jeffs also adapted the screenplay from the novel of the same name by Carl Shuker. With numerous credits under both of their belts, Jeffs and Banks are going to knock this female-forward story out of the park.
A Mistake centers on the world of Elizabeth Taylor (Banks), a female surgeon who’s had to fight tooth and nail to make her way in the misogynistic and male dominated profession. Incredibly talented and strong-willed, Dr. Taylor comes out on top to become the only female consultant at her hospital. Things flip upside down for the accomplished professional when one day, a complication during surgery results in the death of a patient. Reeling with guilt from the incident, it’s made that much worse by the harassment of her colleagues and the public who are told about the surgery mishap due to a new hospital policy. She’s made her way through medical school, years of residencies, and to the peak of her career, but will Dr. Taylor be able to see it through to the other end of her mistake?
Known for playing some terrifically well written female roles and directing others, it seems Banks can do it all. From her eccentric portrayal of The Hunger Games’ Effie Trinket to her drama-filled performance as Melinda Ledbetter in the Brian Wilson biopic, Love and Mercy, and even her laugh-out-loud leading role in Walk of Shame, Banks’ skills have crossed multiple genres where she always comes out shining. She’ll be the perfect fit to don the scrubs of the desperate surgeon who waged battle with the patriarchy only to end up scrambling to keep everything she’s earned. Up next, Banks will be seen in the dramedy, Call Jane, where she’ll star opposite Sigourney Weaver. We can also expect to hear more about a comedy flick she’s been working on titled, The Beanie Bubble, which just wrapped production. As you may have guessed, it will center on the 90s craze and will also star Zach Galifinakis and Sarah Snook. Her third directorial feature, a thriller titled Cocaine Bear, also just landed a release date of February 24, 2023.
As for A Mistake’s director, Jeffs has been a revered name in Hollywood since her debut film, Rain, took the Cannes Film Festival by storm back in 2001. She’s also the mind and eye behind the dark comedy-drama, Sunshine Screening, which nabbed a Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film festival. This project will act as Jeffs’ return to creating films - and we can’t wait to see what she does with it!
As of right now, A Mistake has not announced a release date.