‘Burial Rites’: Jennifer Lawrence to Star in Luca Guadagnino’s True-Crime Drama About Iceland’s Last Public Execution

Luca Guadagnino is quickly becoming one of our most prolific filmmakers. With “Call Me by Your Name” currently in theaters and his “Suspiria” remake on the way, the Italian auteur will next direct Jennifer Lawrence in “Burial Rites.” The news comes from Variety, who note that the true-crime drama is in the works at TriStar Pictures.

The film is to be based on Hannah Kent’s novel of the same name, which tells of Agnes Magnúsdóttir — the last woman to be publicly executed in Iceland. That event took place in 1830 and was the result of her conviction for killing two men and setting their home on fire, suggesting that “Burial Rites” will be a light, airy affair that definitely won’t anger viewers for killing off J-Law’s character.

“Luca is a rare talent. His movies capture an exquisite sense of place inextricably linked to the emotional state of the complex characters he creates,” said producer Hannah Minghella in a statement. “I can’t imagine a more thrilling partnership than Luca and Jennifer coming together to bring Agnes’ beautiful and tragic story to life.”

Capital punishment no longer exists in Iceland, a magical land populated by the likes of Björk and next year’s World Cup winners.