Angelina Jolie has signed on to star in the film adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s novel Anxious People. Marc Forster, the maker of films such as World War Z and the Backman novel adaptation A Man Called Otto, is set to direct the film. It follows an investment banker (Jolie) who reluctantly gets involved in a social scenario with strangers at a place where all visitors are welcome. When a bank robber takes them hostage by chance, it leads to a chaotic situation where secrets are let out. According to the official description, the film is "about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined… Through an ingeniously constructed story, Anxious People explores the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope — the things that save us, even in the most anxious times."
Academy Award nominee David Magee, Forster's A Man Called Otto scribe, has adapted the novel into a screenplay. Jolie won a Tony award in 2024 for her work in The Outsiders. She recently appeared in the Maria Callas biopic from filmmaker Pablo Larraín, besides directing First They Killed My Father. Besides World War Z and A Man Called Otto, some of Forster’s other film credits are Monster’s Ball, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace, and Finding Neverland. As per Forster, the story is "filled with humor, heart, chaos, and unexpected hope."
On the other hand, producer Wikström Nicastro stated, "Fredrik’s novels speak to our shared humanity in a way that really moves audiences, and we’re proud to be able to deliver another heartwarming and hilarious adaptation of his work."