Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson’s Joyful ‘Verity’ Premiere Moment Has the Internet Melting

Colleen Hoover adaptations tend to arrive with a lot of noise, and ‘Verity’ has been building buzz for a long time. The psychological thriller began as a self-published novel in 2018, was picked up by Grand Central Publishing in 2021, and sold more than 1 million copies in 2023 alone. That kind of readership means every new glimpse of the film gets picked apart online.

The film has also had a winding road to theaters. Amazon MGM Studios originally set it for a wide release in May, but it now arrives on October 2. After all that waiting, the cast finally hit the red carpet this week, and the reunion delivered exactly the kind of moment fans were hoping for.

On September 29, Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson walked the New York premiere at AMC Lincoln Square 13 alongside co-star Josh Hartnett. Several outlets shared photos of the pair on X. In one of the images, the 2 actresses are locked in a tight embrace, both doubled over in laughter.

The picture captures exactly the warmth that outlets described from the carpet, where the pair posed together and shared a hug. It is a striking contrast with the tense, twisted tone of the movie they are promoting. Fans quickly pointed out how playful the moment looked compared to the story’s dark themes.

The fashion added another layer. Hathaway wore a custom black Atelier Prabal Gurung gown with a sweetheart neckline, floral and crystal beadwork, and a pleated tulle skirt with a train. She is currently pregnant with her third child, and the fitted design showed off her baby bump.

Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway at the ‘VERITY’ premiere

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 30, 2026

Johnson chose white. Her custom Calvin Klein Collection look paired a sequin-embroidered top with a high-slit column skirt, finished with cascading crystal fringe and a Roberto Coin diamond necklace. The ivory and black pairing made the two look like natural counterparts, and one fashion site suggested the contrast might be intentional.

The moment was also a reunion of sorts. Johnson and Hartnett attended the film’s London premiere last week, while Hathaway stayed in New York and continued doing press from there. The New York event was the first time the trio walked a carpet together for the film, and director Michael Showalter, Ismael Cruz Córdova, and Hoover joined them.

Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson joke that they got married 😂 pic.twitter.com/dr1Fz2wkF6

— Anne Hathaway Crave (@anniecrave) September 30, 2026

The story follows Verity Crawford, played by Hathaway, a renowned author, and Lowen Ashleigh, played by Johnson, a struggling writer hired to ghostwrite for her at the Crawford family’s remote estate. Lowen soon uncovers what appear to be Verity’s private autobiographical notes, which pull her into a web of disturbing confessions about Verity’s husband Jeremy, played by Hartnett. Before long, she can no longer tell fiction from reality.

Showalter directs from a script by Nick Antosca, following earlier drafts from other writers. Both stars are heavily involved behind the scenes, with Hathaway credited as a producer and Johnson as an executive producer. The film is rated R for sexual content, some nudity, language, violence, and bloody images.

Obsessing over the way Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway greeted each other at the NYC premiere of “Verity.” 🥹😭 pic.twitter.com/IbdwhVtj09

— Page Six (@PageSix) September 29, 2026

That mix of obsession, manipulation, and romantic tension is exactly what has made the book such a phenomenon. Cast members previously described the project at a promotional event alongside Hoover, and early footage teased a twisty, unsettling tone.

Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in an all-new trailer for #Verity.

In theaters October 2. pic.twitter.com/niq02J5nO5

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) August 11, 2026

With opening day just around the corner, the premiere has given the film its most shareable image yet. A single laughing hug has done more for the campaign’s warmth than any trailer could. Whether that goodwill translates to the box office is another question, but the cast’s chemistry appears to be the real deal.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!