Julia Roberts to star in film adaptation of Katy Hays’ upcoming novel 'Home Economics'

Further details about the film, including its director and additional cast members, haven't been announced

Julia Roberts is set to star in a film adaptation of Home Economics, the forthcoming novel by bestselling author Katy Hays, with People exclusively revealing the book’s cover and details of its story.

The Oscar-winning actress is also attached to produce the adaptation through her production company, Red Om Films, alongside Lisa Roberts Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill. Marc Platt will also produce through Marc Platt Productions, while Hays is set to adapt her novel for the screen and executive produce the project.

The novel, scheduled for release on May 4, 2027, follows Punch Tillis, a once-celebrated homemaking icon whose empire collapses, costing her brand, marriage and beloved Brieskill Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley. After years away, Punch returns to her former home while working as a caterer and unexpectedly finds herself drawn back into the property’s orbit.

Inspired by a local college student, Punch decides to reclaim her former home by squatting there. Her actions attract national attention, setting the stage for a darkly humorous story about ambition, personal reinvention and the meaning of home.

Hays has drawn inspiration from her own family’s connection to a historic farmhouse, informing the novel’s exploration of the emotional ties people develop to their homes and what happens when those connections are threatened.

The film adaptation was acquired by Sony’s 3000 Pictures following competitive interest in the upcoming book. Hays previously attracted attention with her debut novel, The Cloisters, and her subsequent novel, Saltwater.

Roberts continues to expand her slate of projects across film and production. The actress recently starred in Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt and is also attached to the upcoming thriller Panic Carefully, directed by Sam Esmail.

Further details about the Home Economics film, including its director and additional cast members, have not yet been announced.