Film Adaptation of Broadway’s ‘Cult of Love’ in the Works

Leslye Headland’s family drama “Cult of Love” is making its way from the Broadway stage to the big screen. 

Headland will both adapt the screenplay and direct the film version. Notably, the project brings Headland back into creative collaboration with Gloria Sanchez Productions, the production company led by Will Ferrell and producer Jessica Elbaum.

“Leslye’s voice is singular — darkly funny, wildly insightful and deeply human,” Elbaum said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to help bring ‘Cult of Love’ to a wider audience.”

The announcement follows the productions Broadway run, which debuted at the Hayes Theater during the 2024-2025 season under the Second Stage Theater banner. Directed by Trip Cullman, the limited engagement opened on December 12, 2024, after beginning previews on November 20, and concluded its run on February 2, 2025. 

For Headland, bringing her play to the screen is a project years in the making.

“To be making ‘Cult of Love’ with Will and Jessica — two producers who champion bold, unapologetic storytelling — is a true creative homecoming,” she said in a statement. “This story has lived in my bones for years, and I can’t wait to bring it to the screen with partners who embrace its chaos and heart.”

“Cult of Love” tells the story of the Dahl family, who come together for a Christmas Eve reunion that starts out festive but gradually unravels into something far more complicated. Over the course of the night, tensions simmer and secrets spill, as the Dahl parents and their four grown children and their families confront what connects them and what divides them. 

Further announcements regarding the cast and production timeline for “Cult of Love” are expected in the coming months.