Jennifer Lopez will star in and produce the romantic comedy “Second Act” for STXfilms as part of the company’s efforts to focus on female-driven movies.
STXfilms touted the movie as being in the vein of “Working Girl” and “Maid in Manhattan.” Lopez will portray a big box store employee who reinvents her life and her lifestyle, which gets her the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as a college degree.
“There are so many things I love about this project and script,” said Lopez. “People try to put women to sleep at a certain age. ‘Second Act’ is a story that empowers the every woman to do more, to be more, and not limit their dreams. I am thrilled to partner with STX as they continue to create and empower the female audience.”
Veteran comedy director Peter Segal will direct the film. His credits include “50 First Dates,” “Anger Management,” and “Get Smart.”
The project was developed by STX with Lopez from an idea conceived by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Justin Zackham. The two wrote the script for “Second Act,” which will be produced by Lopez, Goldsmith-Thomas, Zackham and Benny Medina.
Adam Fogelson, Chairman of STXfilms, and the studio’s president of production Sam Brown made the announcement Thursday.
“When Jennifer, Elaine and Justin came to us with this idea, we loved it right away,” said Fogelson. “The premise of reinventing yourself and creating a career and life-defining second act is hugely relatable and aspirational. Jennifer’s talents as a film and television actress, producer and recording artist are legendary. She is a true global superstar and and we think she is perfect for this role.”
Lopez starred in several successful romantic comedies and dramas between 2001 and 2005, including “The Wedding Planner,” “Maid in Manhattan,” “Shall We Dance,” and “Monster in Law.” Other key credits include “Out of Sight,” “The Cell,” and “Anaconda.” She starred opposite Ryan Guzman in 2015’s erotic thriller “The Boy Next Door.”
STX noted in the announcement that its next six releases feature women in leading roles — “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” “Molly’s Game,” “Gringo,” “A Bad Moms Christmas” and “The Happytime Murders.”
Source: Variety
