Anne Hathaway in New York City on Oct. 8, 2024; Josh Hartnett in Madrid on Aug. 1, 2024.Credit :

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty; Borja B. Hojas/WireImage

NEED TO KNOW

• Josh Hartnett said in a new interview with Lauren Veneziani that he and Verity costar Anne Hathaway have “always wanted to work” together
• “I didn’t know Dakota at all, but she’s excellent in the role and a really nice person,” he added of their costar Dakota Johnson
• He also teased of the film, “I don’t think people know what to expect from it and I like that, because it’s way different than the other Colleen Hoover books”

Josh Hartnett checked off a big career goal with Verity: acting opposite Anne Hathaway.

In a new interview with Lauren Veneziani, the 46-year-old actor revealed that he has “met Anne quite a few times over the years and always wanted to work with her, and she said she always wanted to work with me.”

“So when this came along and there was a chance we could do it together — and [Anne] was producing so she had the ultimate choice, along with [director] Michael Showalter — they decided to cast me,” he added. “It was just an awesome opportunity to work with her and Michael.”

Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, Verity follows Jeremy Crawford (Hartnett), husband of best-selling thriller author Verity Crawford (Hathaway, 42), who has hired struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) to complete the remaining books in his wife’s successful series after a “mysterious accident” has left her unable to finish.

However, when Lowen discovers an unfinished manuscript, she begins unraveling chilling secrets that could change everything.

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Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett on the set of Verity in New York City on Feb. 26, 2025.

SteveSands/NewYorkNewswire/MEGA

PEOPLE confirmed that Hathaway had joined Verity back in November 2024, as well as news that she would work on the film as a producer alongside director Showalter, 54, whom she previously collaborated with on 2024’s The Idea of You.

Hathaway and Hartnett were seen filming Verity in New York City in February, when they were photographed running through the streets as they held hands while dressed in semi-formal attire.

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The following month, Johnson, 35, was photographed in N.Y.C. with fake blood on her face and clothes while filming a scene with Hartnett.

Hartnett told Veneziani that before Verity, he “didn’t know Dakota at all, but she’s excellent in the role and a really nice person, and I feel like the whole thing came together magically — really good cast.”

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Verity by Colleen Hoover; Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett on the set of the Verity in New York City on March 12, 2025.

Grand Central Publishing ; XNY/Star Max/GC Images

Verity is the 18th book published by author Hoover, 45. It originally hit shelves in 2018, two years after her breakout novel It Ends with Us was published, and was named a New York Times best seller.

Of the film adaptation, Hartnett told Veneziani, “I don’t think people know what to expect from it and I like that, because it’s way different than the other Colleen Hoover books.”

“It’s sexy, it’s mysterious and it’s a little bit gothic and a little bit scary, and it’s wild. And I think it’s gonna be surprising for audiences,” Hartnett added.

Verity is slated for release on May 15, 2026.