We finally have details about Dakota Johnson's debut as a feature director.
Fresh from a turn in Celine Song's hotly anticipated rom-com-but-not Materialists, the actress has her sights set on an off-camera pivot. Speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival earlier this year, Johnson hinted, “I think I will direct a feature, a very small one, hopefully soon." At the time, it sounded like an ambition-in-progress. Now, it’s real.
What is the film called?
Deadline confirmed overnight that Johnson will make her directorial debut with A Tree Is Blue, a drama she’ll helm under her TeaTime Pictures banner.
What is it about?
The film is written by Vanessa Burghardt, who is also in talks to star alongside Charli XCX and Jessica Alba. It follows a young woman on the autism spectrum who breaks free from her loving but overprotective mother in search of freedom, friendship, and a little chaos during the summer after graduation. Burghardt, who is autistic herself, is making her screenwriting debut with the project.
When Johnson first spoke about the film, she emphasised how deeply personal the collaboration was: “I’ve always felt that I’m not ready to direct a feature. I don’t have the confidence, but, with [Burghardt], I feel very protective and I know her very well. I can see this world, so I just won’t let anybody else do it. That’s the real answer.”
When will it be released?
Principal photography is set to begin in November in Los Angeles. So we're thinking a late-2026 release is on the cards.
Does Johnson have directing experience?
While this will be her first feature-length film, Johnson has previously directed Coldplay’s Cry Cry Cry music video and her short Loser Baby, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. She’s also grown her production studio, TeaTime, into a home for female-centric projects that spotlight complex, unconventional characters.
