Isabelle Fuhrman is set to headline Heartache, an upcoming sci-fi thriller from filmmaker Beth Fletcher, which explores a near-future world where heartbreak can have deadly consequences. Production is currently underway in Massachusetts.
Best known for her chilling portrayal of Esther in Orphan and its prequel Orphan: First Kill, Fuhrman will take on a different kind of unsettling story with Heartache. The dramatic thriller marks Fletcher’s feature directorial debut, with Fuhrman also serving as an executive producer.
The film follows Kara, a woman determined to find love in a world where heartbreak has become lethal. However, her pursuit of intimacy becomes increasingly complicated as she finds herself caught in a dangerous web of obsession and control.
The premise promises a thought-provoking blend of science fiction and psychological tension, exploring the risks people are willing to take for love when emotional vulnerability can carry devastating consequences.
Fletcher, whose previous work has screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), RiverRun International Film Festival and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, shared her creative inspiration for the project.
“With Heartache, I was excited to create a world in which it’s safer to be alone – to tell the story of what we’ll risk to stay together,” Fletcher said.
The screenplay was written by Mark Ashin, who is also producing through his company Page 8 Pictures. Additional producers include Sionne Elise, Dylan Matlock and JP Ouellette through Circa 1888, the production company behind the acclaimed drama Mass. Casting is being overseen by SJ Allocco-St. Germain.
Ashin has also praised Fuhrman’s work on the film, expressing enthusiasm for her interpretation of Kara.
“Isabelle is giving a performance beyond what I could have hoped for when I first wrote Kara,” Ashin said, adding that the actress brings an energy that is both grounded and charged to the role.
For Fuhrman, Heartache continues a career that has seen her move between horror, independent drama and major studio productions. While audiences continue to associate her with the Orphan franchise, she earned further recognition for her performance in The Novice, which secured her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.
She is also attached to star opposite Michael Rooker in Izzi, an upcoming possession thriller in which she will reportedly take on a dual role. The project is being directed by Jamie Neese and Jason Neese.
Fuhrman will next appear in Netflix’s The 99ers, a sports drama centred on the United States women’s national soccer team and its historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign. The project is currently slated to premiere in 2027.
With Heartache now filming, further details about the cast, release plans and distribution are yet to be announced. The film’s intriguing premise positions it as a potentially distinctive addition to the sci-fi thriller genre, placing the dangers of love and human connection at the centre of its story.
Leave a Reply