Jane Fonda’s Return to the Big Screen Sparks 7-Studio Bidding War, Lands at Lionsgate

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Published Mar 18, 2026, 12:54 PM EDT

Britta DeVore is a Senior Author for Collider who has been known to dabble with Reality News as well.

Have you seen stories about 'Chucky,' 'Scream,' 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 'The Boys,' 'Vanderpump Rules,' or any of 'The Real Housewives' franchises? That's probably a Britta DeVore-curated piece of art, and it sounds like you have great taste.

When she isn't sitting behind her laptop bringing readers her hot takes on upcoming projects or keeping the dream alive in the Senior News team, Britta can usually be found outside hiking or inside behind her drum set. She currently plays in two bands, Kid Midnight and Watergate, both based in Brooklyn. An obsessive traveler, Britta loves long road trips to the South West and has a soft spot in her heart for canyons, rivers, and forests.

She also has a tiny cat named Athena that she loves more than anything else in the world and is always happy for new brewery recs.

The past year has been a major one for Lionsgate, with a string of celebrated releases popping out left and right. From Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s return in the pulse-pounding crime drama sequel Den of Thieves to the studio’s Mark Hamill, David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman-led adaptation of The Long Walk, it’s been a financially positive year for the studio. Speaking of adaptations and big bucks, Lionsgate was also behind one of the biggest hits of the year when Paul Feig paired with Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar to bring Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel to life with The Housemaid. Earning a whopping $396 million at the global box office, the movie proved that well-done adaptations aren’t just a phase in Hollywood, but are instead here to stay.

This year, things are off to a much more silent start for the studio, which has already welcomed a handful of box office misses, including Ric Roman Waugh’s post-apocalyptic sequel, Greenland 2: Migration, and the book end to Renny Harlin’s largely panned horror trilogy, The Strangers — Chapter 3. While there’s still plenty of time left to make up for the misses already plaguing 2026, Lionsgate has turned its attention to the future for what will undoubtedly be a massive success thanks to a few key factors that include a beloved novel serving as the foundation and an A+ star who audiences won’t be able to ignore.

Jane Fonda is on her way back to screens. Today, Lionsgate has officially reigned supreme following a high-stakes bidding war over the rights to Virginia Evans’ beloved novel, The Correspondent. Seven studios entered the ring, but the home of such favorites as The Hunger Games franchise and The Twilight Saga is stepping out as the clear-cut winner with Cat Vasko set to adapt the book into screenplay form. In addition to starring, Fonda will also produce alongside Hidden Pictures’ Todd Lieberman, who recently struck box office gold with the studio’s sultry and seductive hit, The Housemaid.

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What Is ‘The Correspondent’ About?

It will be an absolute treat to see the longtime Hollywood star step back into the cinematic game and bring her all with The Correspondent. As of late, she hasn’t been up to much in the industry, with her last major credits hailing from Kyle Marvin’s 80 for Brady and Bill Holderman’s Book Club: The Next Chapter, both of which were released in 2023. For her latest role, Fonda will dig into her drama roots in a plot which logline reads:

“The Correspondent centers on the unforgettable Sybil Van Antwerp, a sharp-witted, fiercely opinionated, retired lawyer who has long used letters to impose order on a complicated world—writing to friends, family, literary icons, and one elusive recipient whose message she has never sent. But when an unexpected letter from her past resurfaces, Sybil is forced to confront a long-buried chapter of grief, regret, and unresolved guilt.”

Stay tuned to Collider for more information about Fonda’s latest role.

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