Black Bear, Artists Equity and Big Picture Co. are teaming to add some rays to A Woman in the Sun, a new feature film project from Julia Cox that will star Academy Award winners Renée Zellweger and Sissy Spacek opposite Mia Threapleton.
Written and to be directed by Cox — in a reunion with Black Bear after a breakout moment penning the studio’s Nyad starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster — A Woman in the Sun follows a month in the life of Claire Keating, to be played by Zellweger. While working as a bartender on Nantucket, part of the island’s dwindling middle class, Claire’s world cracks open when her mother gets sick and her daughter moves home. She is then forced to reckon with her past and take ownership of her future.
Production is slated to begin in September. The project will get tossed into the spotlight amid the Cannes Film Festival, during which time Black Bear will introduce it to international buyers. Black Bear and Artists Equity are co-financing, with Black Bear set to distribute in North America and the U.K. and in Canada via Elevation Pictures. Zellweger and Carmella Casinelli are producing through Big Picture Co. along with Kim Roth. Greg Gertmenian is co-producing.
“Championing promising filmmakers like Julia has been central to Big Picture Co.’s mission since day one, and we’re thrilled to be part of this very special project and the team who will help realize Julia’s vision. The script is a storytelling treasure, and Julia’s instincts set her apart as an emerging filmmaker. We can’t wait to get started,” said Zellweger, a two-time Oscar winner.
Artists Equity CEO Ben Affleck, an Oscar winner himself, shouted out the talents of Cox while revealing his company’s strategy for backing it. “Julia has proven herself as a writer, and I’m certain A Woman in the Sun will show the film world she’s equally gifted in the director’s chair. This is a moving, gripping exploration of a complex family dynamic with something lurking beneath the surface. And behind the scenes, we’ve got a tremendous partner in Black Bear. For us, this is about finding meaningful ways to invest in filmmakers at every stage of their journey, and projects like this are exactly the kind of work we want to be a part of. We’re looking forward to bringing this film to life.”
Added Black Bear CEO Teddy Schwarzman: “As soon as I met Julia, I knew she was destined to be an incredible director and working with her closely on Nyad only strengthened my belief in her as an artist and leader. With A Woman in the Sun, she has created that perfect vehicle to transition from acclaimed writer to world-caliber director. The story is both singular and universal, and Julia will no doubt capture unforgettably rich performances from Renée, Sissy and Mia. Black Bear is honored to back this powerful film alongside our good friends at Artists Equity, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences soon.”
In addition to Nyad, Cox also wrote and executive produced the upcoming film Love of Your Life directed by Oscar nominee Rachel Morrison and starring Margaret Qualley, Gabriel Basso, Aaron Pierre, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Catherine Keener. Cox is repped by CAA, Project D Media, Aloft Strateic Communications and the law firm Ziffren Brittenham.
Zellweger won Oscars for her work in Judy and Cold Mountain on top of nominations for Bridget Jones’s Diary and Chicago. She most recently starred in the latest installment in the Bridget Jones franchise, Mad About the Boy. She’s repped by CAA and Imprint PR.
Her Big Picture Co. is behind Peacock’s limited series The Thing About Pam and the upcoming feature Phantom Son directed by David Yates. After being introduced at the market in Berlin market, the film is set to begin production in late 2026. A Woman in the Sun marks the first feature from Big Picture Co.’s growing slate of elevated, character-driven commercial films to move into production.
Spacek has been nominated for six best actress Academy Awards. She won for her portrayal of Loretta Lynn in the 1980 hit Coal Miner’s Daughter. Her other nominations came for In the Bedroom, Crimes of the Heart, The River, Missing and a breakout role in Stephen King’s Carrie. She recently starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence in Lynne Ramsey’s Die My Love. Spacek is represented by UTA and MGMT Entertainment.
Threapleton is currently shooting Damien Chazelle’s untitled feature film. She had a breakout turn in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme. Other credits include Karim Aïnouz’s Firebrand and Alan Rickman’s A Little Chaos. Threapleton is repped by CAA and Markham, Froggatt and Irwin.
Black Bear’s upcoming releases include Guy Ritchie’s In the Grey starring Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González, Oscar winner Daniel Roher’s Tuner starring Leo Woodall and Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman, The Rivals of Amziah King starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, Spa Weekend starring Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris, Guy Ritchie’s Wife & Dog starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rosamund Pike and Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins, and Sundance breakout Wicker starring Oscar winner Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgard and Peter Dinklage.
Artists Equity, founded by Affleck and Matt Damon, has a slate that includes the upcoming Animals directed by Affleck. He also stars in the film alongside Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun. The studio’s most recent release was the Netflix chart-topper The Rip starring Affleck, Damon, Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylor. Since launching in 2022, Artists Equity has produced The Accountant 2, The Instigators, Small Things Like These, Unstoppable and its hit debut Air.