How ‘Victorian Psycho’ Author Virginia Feito Adapted Her Book Into a Movie

This week, author Virginia Feito joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss how she adapted her 2025 novel “Victorian Psycho” as a screenplay for a new film that’s in theaters this weekend through Bleecker Street. The movie, which premiered earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, stars Maika Monroe (“Longlegs”) as eccentric governess Winifred Notty, who moves into a gothic manor and wreaks havoc on the family. Thomasin McKenzie (“Last Night in Soho”), Ruth Wilson (“The Affair”), Jason Isaacs (“The White Lotus”), Jacobi Jupe (“Hamnet”), and Evie Templeton (“Wednesday”) also star in the film, which blends horror and comedy in a period piece costume drama setting. Virginia, who is a regular columnist and contributor to Vanity Fair Spain, wrote the script for the film and began developing it as she was finishing the novel, workshopping drafts with director Zachary Wigon (“Sanctuary”). Before getting into “Victorian Psycho,” Virginia discusses what happened when her first novel, 2021’s “Mrs. March,” was optioned for a movie with Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) attached before it was published, as well as the status of that book’s adaptation (02:13). Virginia isn’t a trained screenwriter but credits learning the craft by reading scripts of films like “American Beauty” and “Pulp Fiction” as a kid — before even seeing the movies (05:00). Then they turn the conversation toward “Victorian Psycho” for a (mostly) spoiler-free discussion about the film and what it was like to adapt her own book (08:00). Virginia explains some of the stylistic changes she made for adaptation, how the director brought out some unexpected visual flourishes and why she sees the novel and movie “as almost different projects” (17:30). Later, Rudi asks where she got the idea for this story about a Victorian-era governess going mad (20:30) and Sophie asks how scream queen Monroe made the lead character Winifred Notty her own (22:17). Near the end of their chat, they get into some spoilers for "Victorian Psycho” (30:45), including Virginia’s decision to change the ending for the film (31:50) and what change she made in the screenplay that she’d like to go back and change in the book. Finally, Virginia shares her pick for the book she’d love to see get a film adaptation — and that she’d like to get a crack at writing the script for (38:01). Next week, we’re finally discussing “Wildwood,” director Travis Knight and Laika Studios’ stop-motion animation adaptation of the Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis fantasy novel. The hand-made film has a voice cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Angela Bassett and Mahershala Ali. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. If you’re enjoying this podcast, the best way to support us to subscribe or follow Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Virginia Feito Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab