Fans of Courteney Cox and true crime can thank the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel for her upcoming directorial project, Evil Genius. The Friends alum shared at The Hollywood Reporter’s Studio during TIFF that she was approached about directing the feature film – her first in 12 years – after a coincidental run-in with Barbara Schroeder, director of the acclaimed Netflix documentary of the same name.

“I was at the Beverly Hills Hotel sitting at the counter; my favorite spot in the corner,” Cox recounted. “I saw [Schroeder], and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I love Evil Genius. You did such a great job.’” The conversation quickly turned professional. “She said, ‘It’s available to direct.’ She goes, ‘You should run with it.’ We had a good relationship before. … I made a lot of deals there [at the Beverly Hills Hotel], and made a lot of money there. It’s just interesting.” Cox light-heartedly added that these pivotal deals always happened “at the counter” because, she quipped, “I can’t get inside the poker room.”

While the chance encounter ignited the idea, bringing Evil Genius to the screen has been a lengthy journey. The Scream star revealed that the film was in development for a full “eight years,” navigating challenges like the COVID-19 lockdown and the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes before finally heading into production in 2025.

Despite the significant obstacles, Cox remained steadfast. She explained, “I couldn’t let [the story] go because I loved it,” highlighting her deep connection to the material. The film delves into the chilling true crime story of the 2003 “pizza bomber” case, which tragically resulted in the death of Brian Wells.

The star-studded cast features Patricia Arquette, David Harbour, Michael Chernus, Garret Dillahunt, and Danielle Macdonald. Cox expressed her enthusiasm for her leads, stating, “We got these two amazing actors,” referring to Arquette and Harbour, who also visited THR’s studio. “I knew there was a story beneath the headlines that was really emotional and touching and terrifying and all of the things, and I’ve got the best actors to play the parts.”

Adding a personal touch to the production, Cox was joined by her daughter, Coco, and Arquette’s daughter, Harlow, both of whom have small roles in the film. The Shining Vale actor shared that Coco has a scene, and Harlow plays young Marge. “Coco loves acting so much that she was so happy to be there. It’s amazing,” Cox noted. Arquette echoed the sentiment, adding that Coco “has been studying since she was so little, and doing shows and plays.” She highlighted the generational talent, remarking, “They’re fifth-generation actresses, our little daughters.”

Evil Genius is set to premiere at TIFF on Saturday, September 12.