Jessica Chastain & Chris Pine Star in Elijah Bynum's Dark Crime Thriller My Darling California

Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain and Chris Pine have joined the star-studded cast for Elijah Bynum’s next dark comic crime thriller titled My Darling California.

My Darling California will star Chastain and Pine alongside Josh Brolin, Charles, Melton, Don Cheadle, and Oscar-winning Mikey Madison. Set in Los Angeles, the film will follow how a single crime connects the lives of a TV host, his restless wife, a country music idol, two small-time crooks and an ex-con, all of whom are looking for a better life.

Writer and director Elijah Bynum’s first feature film was Hot Summer Nights, starring Timothée Chalamet and Maika Monroe, followed by the Sundance buzz title Magazine Dreams in 2023 and The Deliverance ​​​​​in 2024.

The film is currently being shopped to international buyers ahead of the American Film Market, where it’s already generating buzz as one of the few must-have projects on sale thanks to its all-star cast and writer-director combo.

Producing the film is David Hinojosa of 2 AM, known for Materialists, with Zach Nutman executive producing. Anton (Greenland) is financing and handling sales for the AFM alongside CAA Media Finance. Production for My Darling California is set to start in 2026.

For Chastain, My Darling California continues a recent streak of projects that balance prestige with a psychological edge. Jessica Chastain’s roles have often featured a long list of complex characters that challenge perceptions of female strength and vulnerability, from Zero Dark Thirty to her Academy Award-winning performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

On the other hand, Pine has an upcoming Italian film titled The Kidnapping of Arabella, following his feature directorial debut with Poolman in 2023 and his role as Magnifico in Disney’s Wish. This signals a shift from blockbuster franchises like Star Trek and Wonder Woman into more grounded, dramatic territory.

Bynum’s growing reputation as a filmmaker adds to the project’s appeal. His previous work in Magazine Dreams explored the dark side of ambition and identity through an intense psychological lens. With My Darling California, he seems to be once again exploring the price of fame and moral contradictions, but this time on a larger, multi-perspective scale featuring a star-studded cast.

The cast and genre appeal make it one of the hottest titles on the market ahead of the AFM, appealing to both awards-focused distributors and global buyers looking for commercial yet elevated projects. The film’s premise is consistent with the kind of prestige thrillers that have recently performed well with audiences and critics alike, such as 2022’s The Menu.

With production expected to begin next year, My Darling California is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated upcoming Hollywood dramas. Between Bynum’s rising directional profile and the group of talented leads, the film could easily become a major talking point when it hits awards season.