Dakota Johnson, honored with the Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s President’s Award, revealed she’s finalizing plans for her feature directorial debut—a passion project she’s co-developing with Cha Cha Real Smooth co-star Vanessa Burghardt, whom she praises as an “incredible autistic actress.”
A Protective Vision
Despite past hesitations, Johnson now feels ready to helm her own film:
“I’ve always doubted my confidence to direct, but with Vanessa, I feel protective. I know this world intimately—so I won’t let anyone else tell this story.”
Festival Double Feature & Producing Philosophy
At Karlovy Vary, Johnson showcases two films:
- “The Materialists” (dir. Celine Song): A romance starring Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, where Johnson plays a matchmaker.
- “Splitsville” (dir. Michael Angelo Covino): A Cannes hit she produced under her TeaTime Pictures banner.
She emphasizes collaborative sets as a producer:
“I refuse toxic environments. No mean, condescending people—just healthy debates where the best idea wins. Life’s too short for unfulfilling work.”
Redefining Success
Johnson dismisses box-office obsession in today’s erratic market, citing Jurassic World Rebirth’s dominance and The Materialists’ indie triumph:
“Success is about moving audiences. Just finishing a film is a victory—it’s brutally hard to get movies made now.”
Future Roles & Upcoming Projects
- Dream Roles: “I’d kill to play a psychopath! And an action film? Sign me up.”
- Next Release: “Verity”, Amazon MGM’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s thriller (with Josh Hartnett and Anne Hathaway). She acknowledges book adaptations’ challenges (“Fans have their own visions—but Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ nailed it”).
- Secret Project: Teased an undisclosed “very exciting” venture post-Verity.
Final Word: “Movies won’t save the world, but god, it’s nice to have them.”
Watch This Space: Johnson’s directorial debut and Verity (2026) are next.
Follow Updates: @DakotaJohnson | #TeaTimePictures
— Reported by Rafa Sales Ross at Karlovy Vary
The Pop Blog general news and updates, mostly from press releases and conferences.