Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019 film)

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Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019 film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Katt Shea
Written by
Based on
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyEdd Lukas
Edited by Richard Nord
Music by
  • Sherri Chung [1]
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • March 15, 2019 (2019-03-15)
Running time
89 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17 million
Box office$623,088

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is a 2019 American teen mystery comedy film, based on the book The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene. It was directed by Katt Shea, with a screenplay by Nina Fiore and John Herrera, and served as a reboot of the Nancy Drew film series. [3] The movie, produced by A Very Good Production and Red 56 and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, stars Sophia Lillis in the role of amateur detective Nancy Drew, as she investigates a haunted house. It also stars Zoe Renee, Mackenzie Graham, Laura Slade Wiggins, Sam Trammell, and Linda Lavin in supporting roles. The same book had been adapted for a film of the same title in 1939.

Contents

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase was released in the United States on March 15, 2019, by Warner Bros. Pictures. [4] [5] [6] The film received positive reviews from critics, despite being a box-office bomb.

Plot

After her mother's death, 16-year-old sleuth Nancy Drew and her father Carson relocate from Chicago to rural River Heights. While Nancy struggles to fit in, Carson is active in local politics, fighting the development of a train line through the town. A local thug named Willie Wharton threatens Nancy one night to try to scare her father into backing down.

While performing community service as punishment for a prank on a school bully, Nancy meets Flora, an elderly woman needing help with an apparent haunting in her home. Excited by the mystery, Nancy stays overnight at Flora's home, along with Flora's niece Helen. That night, strange things begin to happen, with lights going out and then exploding, cabinet doors and drawers opening, and a cloaked figure appearing and warning Nancy to give up her mystery.

The next day, Nancy believes that someone broke in and tried scaring them out. Nancy and Helen investigate, and they find a secret passage that leads outside, revealing how the "ghost" entered the house. The secret passage also contains props the intruder used to simulate a haunting, such as a rigged fuse box to manipulate the lights in the house. The rest of the strange phenomenon is explained by a rig that emits concentrated nutmeg through the house's air conditioning, which triggers dangerous hallucinations.

Later, Nancy realizes her father, who is staying out of town on a business trip, has not checked in with her or her aunt Hannah recently. She calls her father's friend Nate, who tells her that Carson's meeting is at a campsite and reception must be spotty. Nancy is not convinced, as Carson had told her he would be staying at a hotel.

Worried that something has happened to him, Nancy and Helen head to Carson's hotel. They discover that he never checked out, and his cell phone is still in his room. Security footage from the previous night reveals Carson was ambushed and kidnapped by Wharton. Nancy's friends Bess and George find out that Wharton is also the man who bought the nutmeg used at Flora's house, and Nancy realizes Carson is being kept in the secret passage there. She and Helen head to Flora's house, where they discover Wharton and Nate holding Carson and Flora hostage. It is revealed that Wharton and Nate were working together to sabotage the anti-train movement, and that they intended to force Flora to sell her house so the line could be built through her property. When Nancy's investigation proved that the house was not haunted, they were forced to use other means to secure the land. Nancy and Helen work together to save Carson and Flora from their captors, who are then arrested by the police.

The next day at school, Nancy, George, and Bess welcome Helen into their circle of friends, and together they plan their next adventure at the Lilac Inn.

Cast

Production

On April 20, 2018, it was reported that Sophia Lillis would star in the film adaptation of Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, which would be produced by Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, and Chip Diggins for Warner Bros. Pictures. [7] Wendy S. Williams served as executive producer. [8] In June, other casting was announced which included Zoe Renee as George, Mackenzie Graham as Bess, Laura Slade Wiggins as Helen, Sam Trammell as Carson, Linda Lavin as Flora, and Andrea Anders as Hannah, along with Jay DeVon Johnson, Andrew Matthew Welch, Jon Briddell, Josh Daugherty, Evan Castelloe, and Jesse C. Boyd. [9] Principal photography on the film took place that same month in Monroe, Georgia. [9]

Music

The score of the film was composed by Sherri Chung. [1] Emily Bear composed and sings the songs "More than Just a Girl" and "Daylight". [10]

Release

Marketing

On January 18, 2019, DeGeneres announced exclusively that the film would be released in theaters on March 15; she also debuted a trailer. [4] [5] [6] On February 19, 2019, Warner Bros. Pictures released a short clip from the film. [11] In addition, DeGeneres interviewed Lillis on her talk show to promote the film. [12]

Box office

As of August 2020, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase grossed $623,088 at the box office, and a further $322,939 with home video sales. [13]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73%, based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The website's consensus reads, "Elevated by a well-cast Sophia Lillis, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase leads audiences into a genially entertaining new take on the venerable character." [14] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 55 out of 100, based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [15]

Peter Debruge of Variety praised the "consistently clever script" saying it "isn't nearly as interested in the mystery as it is in Nancy Drew herself, or in the circle of characters and relationships that surround her. And that’s the smart way to approach such a case, since the movie was clearly intended to be more than a one-off." He also praises Lillis for her performance and says she is "the freshest thing to happen to Nancy Drew in decades, making it clear that casting was the solution that has so often eluded this series in its jump from page to screen in the past." [16]

Accolades

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase was nominated for Best DVD or Blu-ray Release at the 45th Saturn Awards. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Drew</span> Fictional character in a juvenile mystery series

Nancy Drew is a fictional character appearing in several mystery book series, movies, video games, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwritten by a number of authors and published under the collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Created by the publisher Edward Stratemeyer as the female counterpart to his Hardy Boys series, the character first appeared in 1930 in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, which lasted until 2003 and consisted of 175 novels.

<i>The Secret of the Old Clock</i> Nancy Drew 1, published 1930

The Secret of the Old Clock is the first volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. It was first published on April 28, 1930, and rewritten in 1959 by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams.

<i>The Hidden Staircase</i> 1930 book in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series

The Hidden Staircase is the second volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, published in 1930 and revised in 1959. The original text was written by Mildred Wirt Benson, and she has said that it is her personal favorite of the Nancy Drew Books she wrote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonita Granville</span> American actress and producer (1923–1988)

Bonita Gloria Granville Wrather was an American actress and producer.

<i>The Password to Larkspur Lane</i> Nancy Drew 10, published 1933

The Password to Larkspur Lane is the tenth volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It was first published in 1933 under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The actual author was ghostwriter Walter Karig in his third and final Nancy Drew novel and his final appearance for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Due to Karig's death in 1956, this book and his other two Nancy Drews, as of January 1, 2007, have passed into the public domain in Canada and other countries with a life-plus-50 policy.

<i>Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock</i> 2005 video game

Secret of the Old Clock is the 12th installment in the Nancy Drew point-and-click adventure game series by Her Interactive. The game is available for play on Microsoft Windows platforms. It has an ESRB rating of E for moments of mild violence and peril. Players take on the first-person view of fictional amateur sleuth Nancy Drew and must solve the mystery through interrogation of suspects, solving puzzles, and discovering clues. There are two levels of gameplay, Junior and Senior detective modes, each offering a different difficulty level of puzzles and hints, however neither of these changes affect the actual plot of the game. The game was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Nancy Drew's creation. It is based on the first four Nancy Drew books published: The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, The Bungalow Mystery, and The Mystery at Lilac Inn.

<i>Nancy Drew</i> (2007 film) 2007 American mystery thriller film

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<i>The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries</i> American television series

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries is an American television mystery series based on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew juvenile novels. The series, which ran from January 30, 1977, to January 14, 1979, was produced by Glen A. Larson from Universal Television for ABC. Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy starred as amateur detective brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, respectively, while Pamela Sue Martin starred as amateur sleuth Nancy Drew.

<i>The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion</i> Nancy Drew 18, published 1941

The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion is the eighteenth volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series published by Grosset & Dunlap, and was first published in 1941. The original text was written by ghostwriter Mildred Wirt Benson, based upon a plot outline from Stratemeyer Syndicate co-owner Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. The book's title was changed to Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion when it was revised in 1971, because the story is completely different and not much of the investigation takes place at the title location. In the original, many plots and much investigation all tie back to the same house deep in the forest, while Nancy helps her father locate an heiress, expose an impostor, investigate a murder, and look into strange screams at the mansion; none of the action in the original story took place in River Heights.

Georgia "George" Fayne is a character in the popular Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. She is one of Nancy's best friends and cousin of Bess Marvin. Her birth name is Georgia, although no one calls her that except her parents.

<i>The Greek Symbol Mystery</i> Nancy Drew 60, published 1981

The Greek Symbol Mystery is the 60th volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It was originally published in paperback in 1981 by the Wanderer imprint of Simon & Schuster. The original edition had a cover and six interior illustrations by Ruth Sanderson. The cover art was later revised by Garin Baker in 1986 for the last Wanderer printing, and again by Linda Thomas in 1989 for the Minstrel printing.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is a 1939 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Garnet. It is the fourth and final film in the original Nancy Drew film series and a sequel to Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939). The film stars Bonita Granville as teenage amateur detective Nancy Drew, Frankie Thomas as her boyfriend, and John Litel as her father. It was loosely based on the novel of the same name by Mildred Wirt Benson. The film was released by Warner Bros. on September 9, 1939.

<i>Nancy Drew... Reporter</i> 1939 film

Nancy Drew... Reporter is a 1939 American comedy-mystery film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Gamet. The film stars Bonita Granville as Nancy Drew, John Litel, Frankie Thomas, Mary Lee, Dickie Jones and Larry Williams. The film was released by Warner Bros. on February 18, 1939. It is a sequel to Nancy Drew... Detective (1938) and was followed by Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939).

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<i>Nancy Drew... Detective</i> 1938 film

Nancy Drew... Detective is a 1938 American comedy film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Garnet. The film stars Bonita Granville, John Litel, James Stephenson, Frankie Thomas, Frank Orth and Helena Phillips Evans. The film was released by Warner Bros. on November 19, 1938.

<i>Nancy Drew… Trouble Shooter</i> 1939 film by William Clemens

Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter is a 1939 American comedy film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Gamet. The film stars Bonita Granville, Frankie Thomas, John Litel, Aldrich Bowker, Charlotte Wynters and Edgar Edwards. The film was released by Warner Bros. on June 17, 1939, and was the third film in the original Nancy Drew film series. It is a sequel to Nancy Drew... Detective (1938) and Nancy Drew... Reporter (1939) and was followed by Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophia Lillis</span> American actress (born 2002)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Very Good Production</span> American film and television production company founded by Ellen DeGeneres

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References

  1. 1 2 Gurung, Regina (November 28, 2018). "'Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase': Sophia Lillis stars as teen detective highlighting 'female brain power'". MEAWW. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase". AMC Theatres . Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ Rees, Ariana (January 28, 2019). "Nancy Drew is getting a new TV and big screen reboot". Deseret News . Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Parlevliet, Mirko (January 18, 2019). "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Trailer Featuring Sophia Lillis". Vital Thrills. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Evangelista, Chris (January 18, 2019). "'Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase' Trailer: 'It' Star Sophia Lillis Becomes the Teen Detective". Slash Film. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Franklin, Garth (January 18, 2019). ""Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase"". Dark Horizons. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (April 20, 2018). "'It' Star Sophia Lillis To Topline Warner Bros' 'Nancy Drew And The Hidden Staircase'". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 19, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  8. ↑ Orange, B. Alan (19 February 2019). "Nancy Drew Breaks Down the Clues in First Hidden Staircase Clip". Movieweb. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. 1 2 Hemmert, Kylie (June 6, 2018). "First Look at New Nancy Drew Movie as Production Begins". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  10. ↑ Harris, Shannon (March 11, 2019). "Emily Bear's music to be heard in new Nancy Drew movie". Wifr23.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  11. ↑ Furdyk, Brent. "First Look At New Clip From 'Nancy Drew And The Hidden Staircase'". ET Canada. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Sophia Lillis Stops by to Talk About 'Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase'". Ellentube. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019)". The Numbers, Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on 2019-03-17. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  16. ↑ Debruge, Peter (March 15, 2019). "Film Review: 'Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase'". Variety. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  17. ↑ "THE 45TH ANNUAL SATURN AWARDS 2019 NOMINATIONS" (PDF). Deadline Hollywood . July 15, 2019. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
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