Is Where the Crawdads Sing a coming

There’s a subtle difference between a marsh and a swamp, according to the southern-fried narration that opens this adaptation of Delia Owens’s bestselling North Carolina-set novel. It’s the kind of distinction that only someone like Kya (Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones, charismatic but ultimately miscast), an abandoned illiterate bog urchin turned reclusive autodidact naturalist, would be able to unpick.

The camera spends an inordinate amount of time weaving languidly through Spanish moss, stringing together the separate timelines of the story. Kya as a child: wily enough to avoid the drunken violence that drove away her mother and her older siblings and left her alone with her sour, stewing father. And once he, too, disappears, she is resourceful enough to survive alone, a shoeless kid hawking harvested freshwater mussels in return for sacks of grits. Kya as a young woman: dubbed “Marsh Girl” by the suspicious locals, mocked for her otherness and accused of the murder of Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). As the court case unfolds, with kindly lawyer Tom Milton (David Strathairn) by her side, flashbacks reveal just how comprehensively failed Kya has been by the men in her life. It’s small wonder that she prefers crustaceans.

The film shares something of the wetlands romanticism of Beasts of the Southern Wild. Another similarity is its disingenuously photogenic approach to the depiction of extreme poverty. But while Beasts had a sparky, unpredictable quality to the film-making, this is more hokey and obvious in its choices. Like the backdrop – marsh or swamp – it’s all a bit soggy.

When actress Reese Witherspoon adds a book to her list of favorites, it's safe to assume it's a hit, and this certainly applies to Delia Owen's Where the Crawdads Sing. The coming-of-age novel spent almost 2 years on The New York Times bestsellers list and after soaking up every chapter, it's easy to see why.

Of course, when it was announced that the novel would be turned into a film, fans were beyond ecstatic. It was named as one of Reese's Book Club picks, and the actress has an impressive eye when it comes to literature that's destined to become a classic. Her stellar list of film adaptations includes Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, and two novels that seem to be on everyone's reading lists nowadays — Daisy Jones & The Six and Where the Crawdads Sing.

Now that filming for the highly anticipated movie has wrapped, here's everything fans should know about Where the Crawdads Sing.

Warning: Plot spoilers ahead

First things first — what is Where the Crawdads Sing about?

If you haven't picked up the Delia Owens novel by now, no offense but, what are you waiting for? The coming-of-age story resonates with a wide range of people no matter your background, which is part of the reason it's a best seller.

Now 45% Off

Where the Crawdads Sing is narrated by a young girl named Kya, otherwise referred to as "Marsh Girl." As a quiet and lonesome character, she grows up on the Carolina coast in a town called Barkley Cove in the 1960s. Her family abandons her at just 6-years-old, and for a long time it's just Kya, the shack she calls home, and the wonders of the marsh. Her sacred relationship with the marsh leads her to become a talented naturalist, although her brilliant mind is often overlooked by the people in town who view her as lesser-than and "swamp trash." The town is shocked when news that local heartthrob Chase Andrews is found dead and it isn't long before people turn their attention towards Kya as a suspect.

We follow Kya's journey as she grows up in the marsh, falls in love, becomes a suspect in the murder of a man who once promised her marriage, and eventually becomes a successful published author.

Who has been cast in Where the Crawdads Sing?

The film's cast is made of fresh, new faces as well as some of Hollywood's rising stars. Fans of Hulu's Normal People will be happy to hear that 23-year-old actress Daisy Edgar-Jones will play the leading role of Kya.

The cast of Where the Crawdads Sing on set with Reese Witherspoon.

Harrison Dickinson, known for his roles in indie films as well as portraying Prince Phillip in Disney's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, will play the hometown heartthrob, Chase, while Taylor John Smith takes on the role of Tate Walker, Kya's one (and only) friend and love interest. Viewers may remember him from HBO's Sharp Objects, which, like Where the Crawdads Sing, was first a best-selling novel.

More of the cast includes:

• David Strathairn as Tom Milton
• Jayson Warner Smith as Deputy Joe Purdue
• Garret Dillahunt as Pa
• Michael Hyatt as Mabel
• Ahna O'Reilly as Ma
• Sterling Macer Jr. as Jumpin
• Eric Ladin as Eric Chastain

When will Where the Crawdads Sing be released?

Filming for the movie began in April 2021 and quickly wrapped in July. Lead actress, Daisy Edgar-Jones shared these behind-the-scenes snapshots with fans once filming ended with the caption: "Where the crawdudes be diddle daddling 🦞 I can’t wait for you to see Kya’s marsh in all its glory and thank you to the Crawdads team for working so hard to bring this beautiful story to life. That’s a wrap. See you way out yonder✨"

We've been waiting on the edge of our seats ever since reading the Delia Owens novel and luckily we won't have to wait too much longer. Where the Crawdads Sing is expected to be released this summer, July 22, 2022.

Is there a trailer for Where the Crawdads Sing?

Yes, and it looks incredible!

The intense footage shows scenes from the movie, including Kya's life on the marsh and explosive trial.

This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

What is the controversy with Where the Crawdads Sing?

Is Where the Crawdads Sing trigger warnings?

Is Kya Where the Crawdads Sing Black?

Is Kya innocent in Where the Crawdads Sing?