Amy Poehler is going to rock out in her next film, planning to direct “Moxie,” a story about a teenager who discovers the feminist punk rock movement Riot Grrrl and leads a feminist revolution at her high school, an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap.
Poehler will direct the film for Netflix, which will be both her second directed-feature and also her second for Netflix following “Wine Country,” which is set to debut on the streamer this May.
Tamara Chestna wrote the screenplay based on Jennifer Mathieu’s novel of the same name. Poehler’s banner Paper Kite acquired the novel last year.
“Moxie” tells the story of Viv Carter, a 16-year-old girl fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment and gross comments from guys and the belief that the football team can do no wrong. But when she discovers that her mom was once in a tough-as-nails Riot Grrrl band in the ’90s, Viv createsa a feminist zine and eventually starts a movement in her school once other girls respond.
“‘Moxie’ kicks ass. It’s a sweet, funny and fierce exploration of how a few young women band together and start a movement. Read this and then join the fight,” Poehler said about the book in its promotional materials.
Riot Grrrl was a movement of underground, feminist punk rock that grew in the late ’80s and early ’90s behind bands like Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and L7.
Poehler also stars in her next film “Wine Country” alongside Maya Rudolph, Maya Erskine, Tina Fey, Jason Schwartzman and more. Her Paper Kite is also behind the Netflix hit show “Russian Doll.”
Poehler and Paper Kite are repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment. Chestna is repped by Verve, Industry and Felker Toczek.
Deadline was first to report.