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The bestselling novel Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens has finally been adapted into a film, and the hype surrounding it has been astronomical. Selling millions of copies since the book's release in 2018, the novel was picked up by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine, after she read the book and loved it.
In the story, we meet Kya Clark, a young woman who is extremely intelligent and sensitive, who has lived and survived for years in the marshes of Barkley Cove in North Carolina, all by herself. When a body is uncovered of a many Kya used to be connected to, she becomes the lead suspect, and the story takes a very dark turn.
The film is directed by Olivia Newman (First Match), is written by Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild), and is starring Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) as Kya.
What is Where the Crawdads Sing About?
The film is set in North Carolina in the 1950s and 1960s, following the story of Kya Clark. Abandoned by her family as a young girl, she has done what she must to survive in the marshlands near a local town. Labeled as the "Marsh Girl" she is alienated from society until she becomes connected to two young men who change the course of her life forever. '
When one of the men is found dead, she immediately is determined as the main suspect. As the story evolves, it becomes even more unclear as to what happened to lead to the man being killed, and whether Kya was actually involved.
Where the Crawdads Sing is a coming-of-age tale that not only reflects what it means to grow up, but it's a story of survival, justice, and how far a person will go for the truth.
When is Where the Crawdads Sing Being Released?
The film is being released to theaters in the US on July 15, the UK on July 22, and Australia on July 21. It will not be a limited release and should be showing in most movie theaters.
There is currently no information as to which streaming platform may pick up the film once it's out of cinemas.
Is There a Trailer for Where the Crawdads Sing?
Released by Sony Entertainment on March 23, the trailer has been viewed over seven million times. Full of quick one-second clips, the gripping trailer is very fast-paced. Based on the synopsis alone, it's clear that this film will be a thrilling one, and they spared no effort in creating a trailer that emulates that.
We learn that Kya was perhaps abandoned as a child, forced to survive on her own in a society that shunned her for it. Misunderstood, she is alienated from society not because she wanted to be, but because she was properly welcomed. It becomes apparent that after a crime has been committed, she is the leading suspect, purely because it seems that it occurs where she has based herself, and also that there's nobody close enough to her to argue otherwise.
The trailer ends with Daisy Edgar-Jones saying, "every creature does what it must, to survive," neither implicating nor denying that she's been involved in the crimes that have unfolded.
Taylor Swift has also released a brand-new song for the film called Carolina, which features in the trailer. We hear the lyrics, "you didn't see me here," and, "things that only Carolina will ever know." The song adds to the mystery and thrill which surrounds the story.
Who Is In The Cast of Where the Crawdads Sing?
Coming off the hype of Normal People which was released in 2020 on Stan, Daisy Edgar-Jones has become somewhat of an it-girl, and there are no complaints from us. She's shown us that from Marianne in Normal People, to Fresh (2022) with Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy), to War of the Worlds (2019), Edgar-Jones's skill-set is vast. Playing a young woman from North Carolina, her accent in the trailer seems both authentic and effortless.
As far as we can tell, there are two potential love interests in Where the Crawdads Sing - Tate Walker and Chase Andrews. They are being played by Taylor John Smith and Harris Dickinson. Smith appeared in the 2018 drama series, Sharp Objects, as John Keene. He has also featured in Blacklight (2022), Shadow in the Cloud (2020), and The Outpost (2020).
Harris Dickinson made his film debut with Beach Rats in 2018 and has since played roles in very prominent movies. In 2019 he played Prince Philip in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil alongside Elle Fanning (The Great) and Angelina Jolie (Those Who Wish Me Dead), and Conrad Oxford in the 2021 film The King's Man.
The film also stars David Strathairn as Tom Milton. Strathairn previously appeared in acclaimed films such as Nightmare Alley (2021) with Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, and Rooney Mara, Nomadland (2020) with Frances McDormand, and Lincoln (2012) with Daniel Day-Lewis.
The cast also includes Ahna O'Reilly, Garret Dillahunt, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer Jr, and Jojo Regina.
Who Is Delia Owens?
The author of Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens wrote the best-selling novel in 2018. Both an author and a zoologist, she and her husband spent an extended length of time in Africa. Where the Crawdads Sing is her debut novel, and became a New York Times bestseller, spending a total of 132 weeks on the list.
Owens and her then-husband were also caught up in a scandal during their time in Africa, not unlike the events which take place in Where the Crawdads Sing. After a poacher was killed in Zambia, it was alleged that Owens's step-son had committed the crime. No charges were pressed.
Owens has also written non-fiction titles Cry of the Kalahari (1984), The Eye of the Elephant (1992), and Secrets of the Savanna (2006). She has completed her PhD in biology and has contributed her research to academic journals such as Nature, Animal Behavior, History, African Journal of Ecology, Journal of Mammalogy, and International Wildlife.