Jessica Chastain & Chris Pine Topline #MeToo Drama ‘This Is Pleasure’ From ‘American Splendor’ Directors

An interesting new film is gestating as Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini are set to direct Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) and Chris Pine (“Carousel”) in the drama “This Is Pleasure,” as the two play friends as their relationship is tested after misconduct allegations are made against Pine’s publisher character.

The news comes to us from Variety, as they add that the project is an adaptation of the #MeToo novella by Mary Gaitskill and is heading to the European Film Market this month. If you weren’t aware, the 2002 BDSM cult film “Secretary” starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader was based on Gaitskill’s short story taken from her 1988 collection “Bad Behavior.”

READ MORE: ‘Carousel’ Review: Jenny Slate & Chris Pine Are Old Lovers Who Can’t Stop Hurting Each Other [Sundance]

A brief logline mentioned by the outlet’s report:

The film follows Margot (Chastain) as accusations of misconduct unravel the career of her closest friend, the charming publisher Quin (Pine). Margot must decide whether loyalty, forgiveness, or truth will define the end of their long, heady friendship.

You may remember the directing duo was behind the Oscar-nominated (for Best Adapted Screenplay) 2003 biographical dark comedy “American Splendor,” starring Paul Giamatti as the grumpy/cynical comic book creator Harvey Pekar (a cult favorite guest of David Letterman) and pal of the infamous Robert Crumb (the face of cult comics and creator of “Fritz the Cat“).

They’ve also helmed films such as “Things Heard & Seen,” “The Nanny Diaries,” “Girl Most Likely,” “Ten Thousand Saints,” and “The Extra Man” alongside episodes of TV shows such as “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” “Succession,” and “Only Murders in the Building.”

Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.

Screenwriter Nina Raine is adapting the novella into a script as the #MeToo drama is a Fremantle production from Killer Films‘ Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler (behind films such as “May December” and “Materialists”) with Chastain’s Freckle Films and Pine’s Barry Linen Motion Pictures also producing. As “This Is Pleasure” heads to EFM in Berlin, CAA Media Finance and The Veterans are handling worldwide sales.