Courteney Cox’s True Crime Dark Comedy ‘Evil Genius’ Gets an “Absurd” Update [Exclusive]

2 weeks ago 5

Published Jan 26, 2026, 2:41 PM EST

Courteney Cox is famous for her work in front of the camera on Friends and the Scream franchise, but she's now working on her third feature film as a director. Evil Genius is a tale of crime, death, and pizza delivery, based on a shocking true incident. Danielle Macdonald, who's at the Sundance Film Festival promoting her new horror film Saccharine, spoke with Collider's Perri Nemiroff and was able to tease the dark comedy thriller.

Evil Genius is based on the 2003 death of Brian Wells, a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank with an explosive collar fastened around his neck. He died shortly afterward, but the story didn't end there, as investigators eventually uncovered a web of deception surrounding the case. Netflix released Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, a four-part documentary based on the case, in 2018, while Cox will dramatize the story into a thriller with a twisted sense of humor. Macdonald told Collider:

"If you know the story, if you've seen the documentary, or just know the story from the news, it's crazy what happened, and it's dark, but Courteney brings a lot of comedic energy to it, truly. Because it's so absurd, it's almost funny. We were on set, and we're like, 'Why is this funny?' Because it's so crazy. So, it's nice when you have something dark and awful happen, but you can find levity in it, because it's sometimes the only way that you can sit through it and process it and experience it. I think she was the perfect choice because she was really passionate about the story. She's the reason this film happened and brought a lot of levity to it. She really made sure to infuse that. But it was really exciting. It was fun. We just finished filming last month."

In addition to Macdonald, Evil Genius will also star Patricia Arquette, David Harbour, Michael Chernus, and Garrett Dillahunt. The film does not yet have a release date.

What Is 'Saccharine' About?

Directed by Australian film-maker Natalie Erika James, who previously helmed the chillers Relic and Apartment 7A, Saccharine stars Midori Francis (Grey's Anatomy) as Hana, a lovelorn medical student who investigates the latest Ozempic-like weight loss drug, a pill known as the Grey. When she discovers that the secret ingredient in the Grey is cremated human remains, she's horrified...but not horrified enough not to try making a homemade version for herself. Pretty soon, she's nearing her target weight, only to be haunted by an insatiable ghost. The film also stars Macdonald, Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time), Robert Taylor (Longmire), and Japanese comedian Showko Showfukutei.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Arby’s, for making the Collider Studio happen at the Arby’s Cinema Center and keeping us all fed with their selection of curly fries, mozzarella sticks, and tastes of their new Italian Beef Dip, a new limited-time sandwich that brings Chicago-style flavors to its menu. In addition, thanks to our supporting partners, including Hendrick’s Gin, Sommsation — The Wine Company, Peroni USA, neaū water, Bernier, and our producing partner, Twenty35 Agency.

Saccharine made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival; no wide release date has yet been announced. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.