Mary Elizabeth Winstead Joins the New ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’

Winstead is taking over the role played by Annabella Sciorra in the 1992 thriller, with Michelle Garza Cervera directing the new movie.

Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm's 'Star Wars: Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

Preview:

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the latest addition to a new take on ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’.
She’ll star opposite Maika Monroe.
Michelle Garza Cervera is directing the movie.

At the end of last month, word broke that ‘It Follows’ star Maika Monroe had landed the lead in a new version of 1992 thriller ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,’ taking over a part made famous by Rebecca De Mornay.

The cast for the remake is starting to fill out, with Deadline reporting that director Michelle Garza Cervera adding Mary Elizabeth Winstead to the list.

What’s the story of ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’?

(L to R) Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay in 'The Hand that Rocks the Cradle'. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

The 1992 original, directed by Curtis Hanson, co-starred Annabella Sciorra. Amanda Silver, these days better known for her work on the ‘Planet of the Apes’ movies (including this year’s ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’), wrote the script.

It follows Flanders (De Mornay), a twisted widow (whose dead husband was, er, a sex offender) who, distraught over losing her own baby, insinuates herself into a family (of a woman who was one of her husband’s victims) as their nanny, with the ultimate goal of taking the kids and the husband for herself.

Winstead is taking over the role of the mother of the family that Monroe infiltrates, playing a part that Sciorra took in the original film.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

"Trust is her weapon. Innocence her opportunity. Revenge her only desire."

R1 hr 50 minJan 10th, 1992

Watch The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Online

Who else is working on the new ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’?

Maika Monroe as ‘Julia’ in Chloe Okuno’s 'Watcher.' Photo Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.

Alongside Monroe, the creative team includes scriptwriter Micah Bloomberg, who previously worked on 2022’s ‘Sanctuary’ and created TV series ‘Homecoming’.

In the director’s chair this time is Cervera, who has made the likes of ‘Huesera: The Bone Woman.’

She was also selected for the 2023 Sundance Momentum Fellowship and was nominated for Breakthrough Director at the 2023 Gotham Independent Film Awards.

What else is Mary Elizabeth Winstead working on?

Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Netflix's 'Kate' (2021).

Winstead was most recently seen in ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ series 'Ahsoka', playing Hera Syndulla, a character from the ‘Star Wars Rebels’ show.

She also reprised her role as Ramona Flowers for Netflix’s animated take on ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ and starred opposite her husband, Ewan McGregor in Paramount+ drama ‘A Gentleman in Moscow.’

Next up, she’ll be seen in the thriller ‘Rich Flu,’ which recently premiered at this year’s Beyond Fest but has yet to confirm a general release date.