Such intrigue! No wonder A-list actors are signing on to the movie, which will be directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Get On Up) with a script by Erin Cressida Wilson (who wrote the wonderful Secretary and the awful Men, Women & Children).
What do we think of the casting decisions so far? Let's take a look. (And if you haven't read the book, stop reading this, because there will be spoilers.)
Rachel Watson
The character: Rachel is a pudgy, creepy 30-something alcoholic - the kind of protagonist whose insistence on self-humiliation makes a reader want to hurl a Kindle across the room.
The star: Emily Blunt
Gut reaction: Blunt is a phenomenal actress, no doubt. She's transformed herself from a bitchy fashionista in The Devil Wears Prada to an adorable hipster in Your Sister's Sister to a muscly tough-as-nails soldier in Edge of Tomorrow. But there's something that Blunt might not be able to shake: Her inherent likeability. And that's a trait Rachel doesn't have. In her own words, Rachel is "no longer desirable, I'm off-putting in some way. It's not just that I've put on weight or that my face is puffy from the drinking and the lack of sleep; it's as if people can see the damage written all over me, can see it in my face, the way I hold myself, the way I move". Blunt is going to have to pull off a major Charlize if she wants to sell this.
Megan Hipwell
The character: Rachel describes her as a tiny bird woman. She's looks perfect from afar, but closer inspection reveals that she's pretty damaged.
The star: Haley Bennett
Gut reaction: Bennett is hardly a household name, but her star is hugely on the rise. She's in Warren Beatty's next movie, Terrence Malick's untitled 2016 release and Antoine Fuqua's remake of The Magnificent Seven. If you've seen her at all, it might have been in the 2007 rom-com Music and Lyrics or alongside Denzel Washington in The Equalizer. The role doesn't require a lot of heavy lifting, and Bennett seems more than capable of playing a lovely yet depressed woman.
Scott Hipwell
The character: Scott is the other half of the perfect couple Rachel peeps on. Rachel describes him as well-built, strong, protective and kind. But he also needs to be slightly unhinged, because he's going to end up locking Rachel in a room at some point. (At least, if the movie follows the book.)
The star: Jared Leto
Gut reaction: Good one! For the charm, he can channel Jordan Catalano, and for the sinister stuff, he can tap into whatever he used to play the Joker in Suicide Squad, because ... well, he looks terrifying there.
Tom Watson
The character: Tom is Rachel's ex, who cheated on her, dumped her and quickly wed his mistress and had a baby with her.
The star: Justin Theroux, replacing Chris Evans, who dropped out after originally being tapped.
Gut reaction: Theroux has had fewer hits than Evans but seems like a better choice. Just attractive enough to be Rachel's beloved ex but also (seriously, we warned you about spoilers) believable as a scary murderer. Face it: Mr Aniston just has a more convincing evil streak than Captain America. Remember his bad guy turn in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle? He really sold that! Even the weird Irish accent.
Anna Watson
The character: Anna is Tom's younger second wife, who is described in the book as blonde, slim and petite - but has a bad attitude and even a bit of malevolence.
The actress: Rebecca Ferguson
Gut reaction: The Swedish actress is best known for playing Ilsa Faust in this summer's Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. She may not fit the aesthetic profile perfectly, but, as her blockbuster action role proved, she's certainly capable of being ruthless.
Detective Sergeant Riley
The character: Riley is the tough cop investigating Megan's disappearance who likes to pull the old Bad Cop routine on Rachel.
The actress: Allison Janney
Gut reaction: Did you see her as the stern CIA boss in Spy? She can definitely pull this off. Then again, Janney can pull off anything.
Kamal Abdic
The character: Kamal is Megan's therapist, whom she routinely hits on. He's tall, lanky, mid 30s and from Serbia or Bosnia. He has an accent and "incredible dark honey skin".
The actor: Edgar Ramirez
Gut reaction: Like Bennett, the talented Ramirez has a big year coming up. He'll be starring in David O. Russell's Joy, Stephen Gaghan's Gold and as the lead in the biopic about boxer Roberto Duran, Hands of Stone. (Also, Bodhi in the upcoming Point Break remake, for what it's worth.) A sturdy looker from Venezuela, he doesn't fit the description of the character at all. But the film-makers can always take a cue from The Martian, in which Chiwetel Ejiofor was cast in the role of Venkat Kapoor then his character's name was changed to Vincent.
