Key keywords: Dakota Johnson, Ellen Burstyn, Marilyn Monroe biopic, exclusive first look, dual-role Marilyn portrayal, 2024 Hollywood film, Marilyn Monroe legacy, Chloe Zhao biopic Film fans and pop culture enthusiasts around the world are buzzing following the exclusive first look release of A24 and Searchlight Pictures’ highly anticipated Marilyn Monroe biopic, which casts Dakota Johnson and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn as the iconic star across two parallel timelines. Helmed by award-winning director Chloe Zhao, the project marks one of the most ambitious and respectful portrayals of Monroe ever greenlit by a major studio, with full access to Monroe’s private diaries, unreleased personal footage, and input from her surviving family and close friends to avoid the exploitative tropes that have marred past adaptations of her life. The first released stills show Johnson embodying Monroe from age 21 to 36, covering her rapid rise from a contract player to the biggest movie star on the planet, as well as her private struggles with industry misogyny, mental health challenges, and her unfulfilled dream of being taken seriously as a dramatic actress. Johnson, who spent 12 months preparing for the role, studied Monroe’s speech patterns, mannerisms, and personal writing extensively, even working with a dialect coach to perfect her soft, breathy speaking voice and subtle New York accent. The first still of Johnson recreates Monroe’s iconic 1954 “The Seven Year Itch” subway grate moment, with viewers noting that she captures the exact balance of playful public charm and quiet private vulnerability that made Monroe a global icon. Burstyn’s casting, meanwhile, introduces a creative alternate timeline that imagines Monroe did not pass away at age 36, but instead lived to age 88, stepping back from the spotlight to build a quiet life as a writer, producer, and advocate for women in the film industry. The first still of Burstyn shows an older Monroe sitting in the sunroom of her Los Angeles home, holding a bound copy of her self-published poetry collection, with faint traces of her iconic makeup and a soft, content smile on her face. Zhao explained in a statement accompanying the first look that the alternate timeline is designed to honor Monroe’s unfulfilled potential, rather than focusing solely on the tragic circumstances of her death. The film is scheduled for a wide theatrical release in November 2024, followed by a streaming debut on Hulu two weeks later, and has already sparked early Oscars buzz for both lead performers.