Maybe it’s inflation, maybe it’s Trump, perhaps it’s the hangover from the pandemic, and maybe it’s the worry that Trump will regain office in November, but cultural anxiety and worry have been on the rise in recent years. And that entire idea, not being able to shut off your brain and worrying, is at the center of a new coming-of-age film about anxiety called “Turtles” All The Way Down.”
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A film from New Line Cinema and Temple Hill, “Turtles All The Way Down,” is based on John Green’s bestselling novel of the same name and debuts Thursday, May 2, on HBO’s streaming service Max.
“Turtles All The Way Down” stars Isabela Merced, who is known for her Dora The Explorer/”Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” role “Sicario: Day Of The Soldado,” and is recently coming off the superhero film “Madame Web.” The film co-stars Cree, Felix Mallard, Maliq Johnson, Poorna Jagannathan, Judy Reyes, and J. Smith-Cameron (“Succession”).
The film is directed by Hannah Marks, a year 30 old writer/director and actress known for “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” Marks has been filmmaking from a very young age, and “Turtles All The Way Down” is actually her fourth feature-length effort.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Logline: TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN tackles anxiety through its 17-year-old protagonist, Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced). It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying… trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis, her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship, and hope.
“Turtles All The Way Down is written by executive producers Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker. The film arrives on Max May 2, and you can check out the first trailer below.
