Verity (2026) is an American psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover. The film is directed by Michael Showalter and adapted for the screen from Hoover’s controversial and widely discussed book. It stars Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, and Anne Hathaway.
The story follows struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, who is hired to complete a bestselling series after its author, Verity Crawford, becomes incapacitated.
While staying at the Crawford estate, Lowen discovers an unpublished manuscript that reveals disturbing secrets about Verity’s life. As she reads deeper, the lines between truth and fiction begin to blur, creating a tense and unsettling psychological spiral.
The film is scheduled for theatrical release on October 2, 2026, and is expected to stay faithful to the novel’s dark and provocative tone.
Verity Age Rating
Verity is officially rated R by the MPA for sexual content, some nudity, language, violence, and bloody images. The film carries a mature tone throughout, with explicit scenes and heavy psychological themes that make it unsuitable for younger viewers.
The combination of graphic intimacy, intense emotional manipulation, and unsettling revelations creates a deeply adult viewing experience that requires maturity to process.
Violence and Gore
Most of the violence in Verity is sudden and comes in short bursts, but some of it is graphic. Early in the film, a cyclist is hit and killed by a vehicle on a New York street, and his blood splashes onto Lowen. It is a shocking, bloody moment that comes with no warning.
Car crashes come up several times, and the injuries shown after them include visible blood. The story also includes a child being hurt in an accident, and a young daughter’s death is a central part of the family’s backstory.
There is some physical struggle and weapon-related threat in the third act, though it shows little blood. One intimate scene also mixes blood with a kiss, which may disturb some viewers. Overall, the violence is less constant than in a horror film, but it is more graphic than in a typical thriller.
Sexual Content and Nudity
Sexual content is the main reason Verity earned its R rating. The film features passionate sex scenes between adult characters, both in the present-day storyline and in flashbacks drawn from Verity’s manuscript, and some of these are fairly detailed. Breast and buttock nudity appears in sexual contexts, and brief rear nudity also shows up in non-sexual scenes.
The relationship between Lowen and Jeremy builds through sexual tension and leads to an affair. The manuscript sections describe a married couple’s sex life in a frank, provocative way. Reviewers have described the film as “sexy” and “risqué,” so parents should expect this content to be a regular part of the story, not a single brief moment.
Language
Profanity is moderate. The F-word is used infrequently, sometimes in sexual contexts, along with scatological slang, crude remarks and other profanity. It is less constant than in many R-rated films, but it is clearly adult dialogue. There are also a few crude references to bodily functions.
Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking
Adults drink alcohol in social and home settings, and some tobacco use appears. There is no drug-focused storyline, and substance use is not glamorized in a major way.
Frightening and Disturbing Themes
This is the area parents should think about most carefully. The story deals with the death of a child, a mother’s disturbing thoughts about her own children, a woman in an unresponsive state, manipulation, obsession, and possible murder.
The Crawford family has lost a daughter in an accident, and the manuscript suggests unsettling truths about how the family really works.
The film reportedly cuts or softens some of the novel’s most extreme material, including the book’s graphic pregnancy-related scene, and it reduces the child death toll.
Even so, the central themes are still dark. The film has at least one effective jump scare, and the creepy atmosphere of the house, with an unresponsive woman who may not be what she seems, builds steady tension. Viewers who are sensitive to stories about harm to children may find parts of it distressing.
Is Verity Suitable for Teens?
Ages 13–15: No. This film is not appropriate for younger teens due to explicit sexual content, disturbing themes, and intense psychological tension.
Ages 16–17: Not Recommended. Older teens may be curious due to the book’s popularity, but the graphic intimacy and unsettling subject matter make it unsuitable without strong parental discretion.
Adults 18+: Yes. The film is clearly designed for adult audiences who can handle its complex and disturbing themes.
Final Recommendation: Verity is best suited for viewers 18 and older due to its explicit and psychologically intense content.
What Parents Can Do
If your teen is a BookTok reader who already knows Verity, ask what they remember about the book’s darker sections. That gives you a natural way to talk about the content before they see the film. Make it clear that the movie shows on screen what the book only describes, especially the sex scenes and the accident scenes.
After watching, the story is a good starting point for talking about unreliable narrators, manipulation in relationships, and how fiction can blur truth and lies. If your child is sensitive to themes of child loss or family tragedy, it is best to skip this one for now.
Official Trailer
FAQs
Q: Why is Verity rated R?
A: Verity is rated R for strong sexual content, disturbing material, violence, and language.
Q: Is Verity appropriate for kids?
A: No, the film is not suitable for children due to explicit content and mature themes.
Q: Does Verity have scary or disturbing scenes?
A: Yes, the film includes unsettling psychological moments and some violent scenes that may feel disturbing.
Q: Is there strong language in Verity?
A: Yes, the movie contains frequent strong profanity throughout.
Q: Does Verity include sexual content or nudity?
A: Yes, there are explicit sexual scenes and some nudity, which contribute to its R rating.
Q: Where can I watch Verity?
A: The film will be released in theaters on October 2, 2026.