Charli XCX and Jessica Alba in talks for Dakota Johnson’s directing debut A Tree Is Blue

Dakota Johnson is moving ahead with her feature directing debut A Tree Is Blue and is in talks with Charli XCX and Jessica Alba to join the cast, with screenwriter Vanessa Burghardt also in discussions to appear. Financing is set by Rivulet Entertainment, with TeaTime Pictures producing and CAA Media Finance handling sales; production is expected to begin next month in Los Angeles, according to the initial trade report.

The project marks a swift step up for Johnson after premiering her short Loser Baby on the fall festival circuit last year. While plot details have not been disclosed by the producers, Johnson has previously described her first feature as a passion project built around Burghardt’s script. In earlier public comments this year, she said she wanted to direct the film to protect the writer’s vision, noting their prior collaboration on Cha Cha Real Smooth.

Burghardt, making her feature screenwriting debut, drew industry attention as an actor before turning to writing. Johnson’s TeaTime partners Ro Donnelly and Sam Racanelli are producing alongside Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, with Hyunji Ward and Rick Steele executive producing. That packaging suggests a standard independent route: foreign sales led by an agency while production gets underway domestically, positioning the film for a potential festival launch once principal photography is complete.

The prospective casting widens the film’s commercial profile. Charli XCX has expanded her screen presence alongside recent music work, and Alba has balanced acting roles with producing, adding recognizable names as the film heads into production. Johnson’s recent run in front of the camera, including Materialists and Splitsville, has coincided with a clearer emphasis on creative control through TeaTime, a through line that connects her short-form directing to this first feature.

At Cannes and other public appearances, Johnson framed the film as “really special,” citing a close personal connection to the material and to Burghardt. Those remarks, paired with this week’s casting talks and financing details, signal that the debut is moving from development into an active shoot with a sales strategy already in place.