‘Handmaid's Tale' Star to Turn a Nostalgia-Fueled '90s Cruise Novel Into a Movie
All aboard for the best news of the day? Elisabeth Moss, the raw, emotional intensity behind one of Hulu's greatest contributions to the Golden Age of Television, The Handmaid's Tale, has just announced that she and author Emma Straub are bringing Straub's April 2026 bestseller, American Fantasy, to the big screen.
According to Variety, Moss got wind of the nostalgia-fueled hit novel while appearing on an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. Straub was the guest celebrity bartender for the evening and as a thank-you she gave everyone free copies of her book.
Moss, apparently, devoured it and loved it, because she's already optioned the rights and is now planted firmly in the producer's chair, alongside Lindsey McManus of Love & Squalor Pictures.
"Emma's honest yet humorous portrayal of the humbling experience of being a fan is so rare and genuinely fun to read that we knew we had to find a way to bring it to screen," Moss and McManus said in a joint statement yesterday.
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The pair will produce the film adaptation together with Straub on board as an executive producer. At the time of writing this story, the cast, writer, director, and distributor had yet to be decided upon.
A New York Times bestseller, American Fantasy tells the story of Annie, a newly divorced woman in her 50s who reluctantly boards a cruise ship along with 3,000 other middle-aged Boy Talk fans. As she lets herself get swept up in the music of the '90s boy band and revisits the soundtrack of her youth, memories come rushing back and unexpected possibilities begin to unfold. Hm, casting thought: Toni Collette or Angela Bassett -- even Sandy Bullock -- would absolutely own this role.
Straub is the author of numerous bestsellers, with This Time Tomorrow, All Adults Here, The Vacationers, and Modern Lovers serving as fan favorites. As for Love & Squalor Pictures, the company recently launched Imperfect Women for Apple TV and The Testaments for Hulu.
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:43 PM.