Courteney Cox premieres true-crime thriller Evil Genius at TIFF

Courteney Cox premiered her true-crime thriller “Evil Genius” at the Toronto International Film Festival, marking her first feature film as a director in 12 years. The film, starring Patricia Arquette and David Harbour, is based on the 2018 Netflix documentary regarding the 2003 “pizza bomber” case in Pennsylvania.

Cox revealed that the opportunity to direct arose from a chance encounter with director Barbara Schroeder at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2018. The project faced an eight-year development period, impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The film explores the complex relationship between Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, played by Arquette, and her accomplice, played by Harbour. Cox described the film’s tone as a “dysfunctional love story” and a “snappy modern noir” that seeks to understand the motivations behind the unusual heist.