Parton set to start in "Run, Rose, Run" movie

Parton and Patterson will produce the feature alongside Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine's President of Film and Television, Lauren Neustadter. Ashley Strumwasser will executive produce for Hello Sunshine.

The novel "Run, Rose, Run" was published on March 7 by Little, Brown and Co., debuting atop The New York Times bestseller list. Parton also released a companion album of the same name on March 4 through Parton's Butterfly Records.

Parton said she was "proud, excited and honored to be working with my good friend Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine on the movie...James and I love Reese and look forward to working with her and her wonderful team."

Set in Nashville, "Run, Rose, Run" is about a young woman who comes to country music's capital city to pursue her music-making dreams. The source of her heart-wrenching songs is a brutal secret she has tried desperately to hide, but the past she has fled is reaching out to control her future, and it may destroy everything she has worked for.

"Growing up in Nashville, I've loved Dolly since the moment I heard her magical voice and saw her luminous personality shine onstage," Weatherspon said. Beyond her magnetic presence as an artist and performer, she is one of the greatest songwriters and storytellers of our time. Her impact knows no bounds - as a musician, actor, writer, businesswoman, activist and all around incredible human being - Dolly Parton is not only an icon to me, but a true inspiration to women and girls everywhere. My admiration for her grew to even greater heights when reading 'Run, Rose, Run,' a gripping and heartbreaking book I couldn't put down. I couldn't feel more honored to be working alongside her and James to bring this remarkable story to the screen."

"It has been a joy working with Dolly Parton on this book," Patteron said. "It's a great story that we are both proud of. And, in partnership with Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine, we will produce a great movie."

Hello Sunshine's upcoming films include the adaptation of "Where the Crawdads Sing" (Fox 2000), "Something from Tiffany's" (Amazon), and "Your Place or Mine" (Netflix) starring Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher. On the series side, upcoming scripted projects include "Daisy Jones and the Six" (Amazon), "From Scratch" (Netflix), and "Surface" (Apple TV+).

Patterson's forthcoming autobiography, "James Patterson," will be published on June 6t.