The long awaited Turtles All The Way Down film has found its lead! Isabela Merced will star as Aza in the adaptation of John Green’s novel. The Hollywood Reporter exclusively broke the story. The film will be directed by actor/writer/director Hannah Marks, who is known for her indie darling Mark, Mary & Some Other People. Merced recently starred in Sweet Girl with Jason Momoa and was a co-lead in another John Green adaptation, Let It Snow. The film, like the novel, will follow Aza’s journey living with OCD while trying to solve a mystery.
“Aza Holmes never intended to pursue the disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Pickett’s son Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.”
Turtles All The Way Down debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list on 2017 and was critically acclaimed, with many praising the unflinching portrayal of Aza’s anxiety and OCD. The film adaptation will premiere on HBO Max, with filming set to begin in April.
