Olivia Newman (First Match) has been selected to direct the movie adaptation of the bestselling murder mystery novel Where The Crawdads Sing. Newman previously wrote and directed First Match for Netflix, which premiered back in 2018. 

The immensely popular novel, Where The Crawdads Sing, follows a young woman named Kya, who was abandoned by her family at a young age. In her small North Carolina town, she is forced to raise herself. She eventually grows up and garners a following as a successful writer. Her books detail local lore and the environment surrounding her small town. Just as her books are getting more and more popular, she is accused of murdering her former boyfriend. The novel follows as Kya reflects on her youth while simultaneously trying to clear her name. 

Where the Crawdads Sing became a New York Times bestseller, spending 97 weeks on the list. 

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is penning the script. 

Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon is producing the film alongside Lauren Neustadter under their Hello Sunshine banner. 

This highly anticipated project will be Newman’s second film, and it is sure to garner plenty of buzz.