Two of the most exciting women working in Hollywood right now are teaming up for something genuinely compelling. Jenna Ortega and Rose Byrne are set to star in Nasty, a gymnastics drama at Warner Bros.’ newly launched specialty label, Clockwork. Directing the film is Mary Bronstein, who recently reunited with Byrne after their acclaimed collaboration on If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Filming is set to begin this fall.
Nasty centres on a young athlete fighting for a spot on the Olympic gymnastics team who must overcome what turns out to be her biggest obstacle: her own coach. The script was written by Isabella Jarosz and appeared on the 2024 Black List, the annual industry survey of the most highly regarded unproduced screenplays circulating in Hollywood. That recognition helped put the project in motion and clearly attracted the calibre of talent now attached to it. Beyond the broad premise, specific plot details are being kept under wraps.
Mary Bronstein directed If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the acclaimed drama that marked a major breakthrough for the filmmaker and introduced her work to a much wider audience. Nasty is her second collaboration with Rose Byrne and marks a significant step forward in terms of scale and studio backing. Bronstein has a distinctive and intimate directorial voice, one that draws powerful performances from her actors and finds emotional truth in uncomfortable situations. A story set in the pressure-cooker world of elite gymnastics seems like a natural fit for exactly that sensibility.
Rose Byrne’s career has been on a strong upward trajectory in recent years. Audiences will next see her in The Good Daughter, an upcoming series for Peacock. Her decision to reunite with Bronstein on Nasty speaks to the strength of their creative relationship and her trust in the material.
Jenna Ortega is not just starring in Nasty; she is also producing the film through her own production banner. That dual role reflects where she is in her career right now—someone who is not just looking for good parts but is actively involved in developing and shaping the projects she is part of. Before Nasty arrives, she will be seen in Klara and the Sun, a science fiction drama releasing this fall that is based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name. It is a very different kind of project from Nasty, highlighting the range she is deliberately pursuing.
Nasty is being produced by LuckyChap, Margot Robbie’s production company, along with Ortega. LuckyChap has been on a remarkable run in recent years, producing Barbie, Saltburn, Wuthering Heights, and most recently Bad Bridgets. Its involvement with Nasty is another sign of the kind of filmmaker-driven, female-led storytelling the company consistently champions. It is also worth noting that both Nasty and the Rachel Zegler thriller NDA, another LuckyChap-adjacent project, originated from the 2024 Black List, underscoring how closely the industry continues to watch the annual survey for standout material.
Nasty is the latest project to emerge from Clockwork, a newly founded specialty label at Warner Bros. run by former Neon executives Christian Parkes, Jason Wald, and Spencer Collantes. The label is building quickly. It also has Ti Amo!, the post-Anora feature from Sean Baker, and recently signed producer Chris Ferguson and his studio Oddfellows to a first-look deal. Ferguson also produced A24’s Backrooms, currently one of the biggest horror hits of the year. Clockwork is clearly positioning itself as a home for serious, filmmaker-driven cinema within the Warner Bros. system.
No release date has been announced for Nasty. Filming begins this fall. With this cast, director, and producing team already in place, it is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing projects currently in development within American cinema.
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