Michelle Buteau has signed on to co-lead Heather of the Valley alongside Zooey Deschanel in new indie comedy directed by award-winner Sheri Elwood from an original script by Kate Spurgeon.
The film follows two former high school classmates who couldn’t be more different. Buteau stars as a burned-out suburban mom clinging to sarcasm and Diet Coke, while Deschanel plays an awkward optimist with relentless cheer. The unlikely duo share one thing in common: an obsession with the hit TV show Scotlander. But when a twist of fate transports them from the San Fernando Valley back to 18th-century Scotland, their fantasy quickly devolves into a dangerously real nightmare of sword fights, scheming aristocrats, and foul-smelling realities. Armed only with sass, resourcefulness, and the occasional Britney Spears dance routine, survival becomes the name of the game.
Heather of the Valley is set to begin production in spring 2026 in Scotland,
The project is produced by Elevation Pictures (French Exit, Alice, Darling) and Who’s On First (And Mrs., The Exchange), with worldwide sales handled by Upgrade.