Jane Fonda to Star in Lionsgate's 'The Correspondent'

Jane Fonda to Star in Lionsgate Thriller 'The Correspondent'

The Oscar winner will produce and lead the adaptation of Virginia Evans' bestseller following a high-stakes seven-studio bidding war.

Sofia Chen

Mar 19, 2026, 12:05 AM PT · 2 min read

Jane Fonda — Photo: Alan Light / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

THE RUNDOWN

Jane Fonda will star in and produce the film The Correspondent.
Lionsgate won the rights after a competitive seven-studio bidding war.
The movie is based on the bestselling novel by Virginia Evans.
Cat Vasko is confirmed to adapt the screenplay for the film.
Fonda plays Sybil Van Antwerp, a retired lawyer facing her past.

Jane Fonda is heading back to the big screen for an epistolary drama focused on grief and reconciliation. The legendary two-time Academy Award winner has officially signed on to star in and produce The Correspondent, a feature film adaptation of the bestselling novel by Virginia Evans. Lionsgate emerged victorious in securing the film rights after a fierce bidding war involving seven major studios.

In the upcoming film, Fonda will portray Sybil Van Antwerp, a highly successful retired lawyer who finds her quiet life upended. After receiving an unexpected letter from a ghost from her past, Sybil is forced to confront long-buried secrets involving personal grief, regret, and unresolved guilt. Screenwriter Cat Vasko, known for her work on Lumberjanes, has been tapped to adapt Evans’ novel for the screen.

Jane Fonda Morgan Fairchild Michael J Fox — Photo: Liliana Nieto, Los Angeles Times / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

This project marks a significant addition to Fonda's recent slate, following her successful seven-season run on Grace and Frankie and recent hits like 80 for Brady. While a director has not yet been named, the project is moving quickly through development at Lionsgate. Production dates and additional casting details for the film are expected to be announced soon.