Stiles goes out on a limb for "Owl" thriller

By Gregg Goldstein

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Julia Stiles will play a woman who falls for her stalker in "Cry of the Owl," a thriller based on the 1962 novel by Patricia Highsmith ("The Talented Mr. Ripley").

Paddy Considine will play the man who moves to Stiles' town and begins spying on her. Scott Speedman will play her jilted ex, who complicates matters when he plots revenge against her.

Sarah Polley was initially attached to star in the project, but she dropped out because of a scheduling conflict.

Principal photography is set to begin October 30 in Toronto. Jamie Thraves will direct. Highsmith's book was previously turned into a 1987 French-language film by suspense director Claude Chabrol.

Stiles will be seen in "Gospel Hill" and is set to co-produce and star in the Sylvia Plath adaptation "The Bell Jar." She also wrote, directed and starred in the short "Raving," which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter