Anne Hathaway’s ‘Verity’ makes major changes to Colleen Hoover’s novel

Colleen Hoover approved removing one of Verity and Jeremy’s children, saying it improved the film’s story

Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson’s film Verity brings Colleen Hoover’s bestselling thriller to the screen, but the adaptation makes several significant changes to the original novel, from family details to its dramatic ending.

Directed by Michael Showalter, the psychological thriller stars Hathaway as Verity Crawford, Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh and Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford. While the film retains the novel’s central mystery, several storylines have been altered or removed.

One major difference concerns Verity and Jeremy’s children. In the novel, the couple have a son, Crew, and twin daughters, Harper and Chastin, who die in separate incidents. The film removes Chastin, leaving the family with Crew and Harper, whose death occurs before the main story.

Hoover supported the change, telling Variety that removing one child gave the adaptation a different tone and made the story feel less dark and unrealistic within the time available for a film.

Hathaway’s appearance also differs from the source material. Verity is blonde in the novel, whereas the actor keeps her brunette hair in the film. Hathaway said the decision followed discussions with Showalter about how the characters would look together on screen.

Lowen’s sleepwalking, an important element of the book’s portrayal of her psychological state, was filmed but ultimately cut. The adaptation also omits a graphic passage from Verity’s manuscript involving an attempted self induced abortion.

Other additions include a fantasy sequence in which Lowen imagines kissing Verity, a scene that Hathaway and Johnson reportedly suggested. Hathaway also developed a distinctive, deliberately irritating voice for Verity’s narration.

The film expands Verity’s public profile through appearances involving Alex Cooper, Gayle King and Sean Evans, helping establish her celebrity status. Hartnett also suggested personal accessories for Jeremy, including jewellery made by his fictional children, to emphasise his role as a father.

The ending changes significantly, too. The film shows Jeremy confronting Verity with the manuscript and disposing of her body in a lake. In the novel, the couple leave her in bed to make her death appear different.

The changes reflect the filmmakers’ approach to adapting a psychological thriller for the screen.