Viral Reddit story 'I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl' to become movie starring Sydney Sweeney

The Reddit post is the latest viral sensation to hit the big screen

A Reddit short story that gained viral fame four years ago is now being adapted into a Hollywood movie, with Sydney Sweeney starring and producing through her company, Fifty-Fifty Films.

Fifty-Fifty Films is a production house that is the brainchild of Sweeney herself. It is known for producing films like Anyone But You (2023) and Immaculate (2024)

The thriller story, titled I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl, was written by Massachusetts-based educator Joe Cote and initially posted on the r/nosleep subreddit.

It follows the eerie tale of a mysterious young woman who turns up at a family’s home a decade after their teenage daughter vanished.

Excerpt from the original story on Reddit. 

Warner Bros. has secured the film rights, with Oscar-winning Forrest Gump screenwriter Eric Roth working to refine the script.

The film’s production team is rounded out by Aaron Folbe and Trevor Engelson of Underground Entertainment, Steven Schneider of Room 101, and Roy Lee and Mira Yoon from Vertigo. Cote himself will serve as an executive producer on the project.

In an interview, Cote expressed his amazement at the entire experience, calling it “surreal” and acknowledging how overwhelming the attention has been.

He recalled being contacted about the project a year ago. Initially hesitant, he agreed to a meeting that ultimately led to the deal being made.

This adaptation marks the latest attempt by Hollywood to bring a viral Reddit post to the big screen.

A similar project was in the works in 2018, with Ryan Reynolds attached, but it never made it to theaters.

So, are you excited to see I Pretend to Be a Missing Girl come to life on screen?