Small Great Things Adaptation Begins To Take Shape As Viola Davis And Julia Roberts Climb Aboard

Julia Roberts and the Oscar-nominated Viola Davis are set to star in a new drama revolving around white supremacists.

Per Deadline, the pair has agreed terms to headline Small Great Things, an adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s novel of the same name. No director or writers are attached as yet, though the project already has an ace card in the form of La La Land producer Marc Platt. DreamWorks Pictures will foster development, and with Roberts and Davis now locked in, we fully expect the studio to begin casting the net in search of the film’s supporting players.

Tackling themes of privilege, power, race and all of the underlying tensions they tend to evoke, Small Great Things is said to be loosely based on real events, chronicling the remarkable story of Ruth, a labor nurse with 20 years of experience under her belt. Stationed at a hospital in Connecticut, one day she comes into contact with a couple of white supremacists, who outright forbid her from taking care of their newborn infant. But when the baby dies in her company, all of Ruth’s experience is suddenly called into question, leading to a court battle against the couple.

Though it’s still early, early days on this one, Small Great Things boasts all of the hallmarks of compelling, potentially award-worthy drama. Following two nominations for her roles in The Help and Doubt, Viola Davis has emerged as an Oscar frontrunner going into the 89th Academy Awards. Can Fences build on its strong momentum from this weekend’s SAG awards? We’ll find out on Sunday, February 26th.

As for Julia Roberts, the four-time Academy Award nominee will next be seen in Wonder, another potential awards vehicle about a young boy crippled with a facial deformity.