Apple is Turning Freida McFadden’s ‘The Teacher’ into a Movie with Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg
Apple is set to adapt the upcoming novel The Teacher, a psychological thriller scheduled for publication in February 2024, although the tech giant declined to comment on the project. The adaptation will be a collaboration between Cohen and Halberg, who will write the screenplay, and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, who will produce for Range. Cohen, Halberg, and McFadden will serve as executive producers, while Apple Studios will handle the production.
The story centers around Eve, a high school math teacher who grows increasingly suspicious of Addie, a manipulative student linked to a past scandal involving a former teacher. Tension escalates as Nate, Eve’s husband and fellow educator, forms a bond with Addie, leading to a gripping narrative filled with twists and secrets that explore themes of revenge.
Cohen and Halberg gained recognition as the writers and directors of the successful horror film Tarot, which was released last year and grossed nearly $50 million against an $8 million budget. Their journey began with their selection for Screen Gems’ directing incubator, during which they created the short film Blink.
Their most recent original screenplay, Distant—now retitled Long Distance—was produced by Universal/Amblin and has just premiered on Hulu, featuring Anthony Ramos and Naomi Scott. They have also secured a deal to write and direct You Take Care Now, based on their original short story, for Universal/Blumhouse, with Atomic Monster producing.
In addition to these projects, Cohen and Halberg co-wrote Moonfall, directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry. Netflix acquired their original script Ivy, which is currently in post-production, while they also penned The Wand for Amblin and sold their sci-fi thriller Raindrop to Amazon. Their television work includes Ballistic for Automatik, featuring Jennifer Carpenter, and they previously wrote Extinction, released on Netflix in 2018. Their representation includes Untitled, CAA, and Yorn Levine.
McFadden, a former physician turned author, has emerged as a prominent figure in contemporary literature with her 2022 bestseller The Housemaid, which is set to be adapted for film by Lionsgate. The film, directed by Paul Feig and starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, will be released on December 19. McFadden is represented by Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency, Angela Cheng Caplan of Cheng Caplan Company, and Allison Binder of Goodman Genow Schenkman.
