The coming-of-age film Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda has just added Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club) to the cast, according to THR. The film is Fox 2000’s adaptation of Becky Albertalli‘s 2015 best-selling YA novel. Greg Berlanti, executive producer of The CW‘s DC Comics shows (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Riverdale, Legends of Tomorrow) will direct.
The cast includes Nick Robinson (Jurassic World) as Simon Spier, Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse) as Abby Suso, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (The Land) as Nick Eisner, Katherine Langford (Thirteen Reasons Why) as Leah Burke,and Logan Miller (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse) as Martin Addison. The film is written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger (This Is Us). Garner will play Simon Spier’s mother. The film is officially described as follows:
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.
The novel’s author, Albertalli. has a Tumblr page with updates on the film, where she describes herself by saying, “I write books about teenagers whose stomachs are full of oreos and butterflies.” According to her page, the film is scheduled to begin in March near Atlanta, Georgia. She mentioned the character of Blue, and in answer to a fan question, says he won’t be whitewashed, “and I think you’ll be happy.”
Have you guys read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda? Are you excited for the film? Who would you like to see play Blue? Let us know in the comments.
