Washington Irving’s iconic 1819 short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, has been adapted more than once. We’ve seen him as an animated schoolteacher, a pale Johnny Depp in 1999, and a time-traveling Tom Mison on FOX. Now, a new take on the classic tale is headed your way, with a little bit of spice.
Lindsey Anderson Beer, who we interviewed about Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, has penned a bold, contemporary take on classic folklore in her upcoming novel Hollow. Hollywood is so obsessed with the manuscript that a major movie adaptation is already sprinting out of the gate.
Katrina Van Tassel Gets an Upgrade
According to Deadline, Sydney Sweeney (The Housemaid, Anyone But You) has signed on to both produce and star in the film.
Sweeney will be slipping into the corsets of Katrina Van Tassel. She’s the heroine portrayed by Christina Ricci in Tim Burton’s 1999 film. However, don’t expect Katrina to sit around looking pretty while Ichabod Crane panics over spooky noises.
The new narrative completely reframes Katrina. She is officially stripped of her “romantic trophy” status. Katrina is positioned directly at the center of a dangerous, localized mystery. There’s a twist. The story leans heavily into a seductive, supernatural love triangle, blending gothic atmosphere, psychological intrigue, and full-blown elements of an erotic thriller. Yes, you read that correctly. We are getting a sexy Sleepy Hollow. But that’s no big surprise. Hypersexualized characters are kinda Sweeney’s thing.
A Match Made in Hollywood Heaven
Lindsey Anderson Beer isn’t just handing her book over to a studio; she is pulling triple duty by writing the screenplay and directing the feature film herself.
To ensure the project gets the premium, subversive edge it deserves, Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment is on board to produce alongside Sweeney. Given LuckyChap’s track record of championing female-led, culturally disruptive hits (Barbie, Saltburn, Promising Young Woman), this partnership practically guarantees a visually stunning, deeply provocative ride.
The Timeline
If you want to read the source material before the theater lights go down, you’ll have to exercise a little patience. Putnam is scheduled to publish the novel version of Hollow in Fall 2027.
Production on the film adaptation will likely move in tandem. So, keep your heads on straight, folks—the woods are about to get a lot more interesting.
