The long-awaited adaptation of John Green‘s Turtles All the Way Down is finally becoming a reality after finding a home on Max. Shortly after its Max release window was confirmed, the streamer dropped the first look images for the film.
Turtles All the Way Down has actually been in development for close to seven years. It’s no surprise that Fox 2000 quickly nabbed the film rights, optioning the book just months after its release, given the novel’s huge success. The book debuted at number 1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list for YA books and received high praise from critics for raising mental health awareness and providing an accurate depiction of what it’s like living with OCD and anxiety.
Unfortunately, production was delayed when Fox 2000 Pictures was acquired by Disney. The film spent several years switching studios before finally landing at New Line Cinema and Max in 2022. Although this development allowed production to commence, fans were concerned when updates trailed off for over a year after filming wrapped in June 2022. Fortunately, Green recently shared some exciting news, providing a final confirmation that Turtles All the Way Down is definitely still happening.
Max drops the first look images for Turtles All the Way Down
Recently, Green took to Instagram to share some big news about Turtles All the Way Down. In a short video, he admits that he had doubts about whether the movie would actually be released despite being completed. However, he finally has confirmation that the movie is coming, and it will arrive on Max later this year.
Shortly after Green’s announcement, Max released the first-look photos of Turtles All the Way Down. The three images show Isabela Merced, Cree Cicchino, and Felix Mallard in character for the first time. One image teases a kiss between Merced’s and Felix’s characters, another is a closeup of Merced, and the final one sees Merced and Cicchino posing in front of a mirror.
Merced is slated to lead the film as the main protagonist, Aza Holmes. Turtles All the Way Down will mark her third major movie release in 2024, as she is also set to star in Madame Web and Alien: Romulus. Starring opposite Merced is Ginny & Georgia star Felix Mallard as Aza’s love interest, Davis Pickett. Meanwhile, Cree Cicchino and Maliq Johnson will appear as Daisy Ramirez and Mychal Turner, respectively, Aza’s best friends. Scrubs star Judy Reyes has been tapped to portray Aza’s mom, Gina, while Miles Ekhardt portrays Davis’ little brother, Noah. Rounding out the cast are Poorna Jagannathan as Dr. Singh, J. Smith-Cameron as Professor Abbott, and Hannah Marks as Holly.
Plotwise, Turtles All the Way Down is expected to follow Green’s book quite closely. The story centers on Aza, a high school student with OCD and anxiety, who tries to find a missing billionaire to secure a handsome cash reward. However, the mission leads her to the billionaire’s son, Davis, with whom she soon starts a romantic relationship while still probing the mystery of his father’s disappearance. The romance, though, leads her to question if she truly can live a fulfilling life with meaningful relationships while managing her OCD.
Green’s book was a delicate, hopeful, and, at times, gut-wrenching depiction of what it’s like living with mental health disorders and learning to manage them effectively. If Turtles All the Way Down proves to be a faithful adaptation, it could provide meaningful representation for those who see themselves reflected in Aza.
(featured image: Max)
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Rachel Ulatowski
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