Following recent founder biopics like The Founder and Unfrosted, Hershey's is starting production on a biopic of its own about chocolate pioneer Milton Hershey and his beloved wife Catherine, 'Kitty'. Mark Waters (Mean Girls, Mr. Popper's Penguins) attached to direct Hershey. Finn Wittrock (The Big Short, Don't Move, American Horror Story) and Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus, True Detective, San Andreas) will star as Milton and Catherine Hershey.
The logline:
"Millions worldwide instantly recognize the distinctive wrapped Hershey's bar, but few know the extraordinary human story behind it. A must-see movie for chocolate-lovers and fans alike, this movie reveals how a man who failed in business multiple times before creating an iconic chocolate empire chose to channel his success into a legacy of education and community that continues to transform lives today."
A Dandelion Media production in partnership with the Hershey Entities and in association with Aloe Entertainment, Peachtree Group and RCM3 with UTA Independent Film Group will be representing worldwide rights. The movie is set to release in 2026.
"Against all odds, Milton achieved great success, but unlike a lot of other wealthy men of his time, he shared his success with the working people and community around him," said Mark Waters. "The core of Hershey, the movie, will be the special love story between Milton and Catherine Hershey, who inspired his greatest legacy - the creation of Milton Hershey School. I'm excited to have Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario to portray these two visionaries, who believed in leaving the world a better place than they found it - the kind of wonderful, true story that audiences are hungry for right now."
The film is being produced by Sharon Paul (Marlowe, Nuremberg), Mark Tilghman (An Acre of Fools, Vivaldi), Mary Aloe (Mary, Worth), Joshua Harris (Sleeping Dogs, Land of Bad) and Will Hardy, with executive producers Daniel Hank, Joseph Lanius, Flip & Susan Flippen and Joanne Marlowe (RCM3). Screenplay by Sharon Paul and Timothy Michael Hayes.
Principal photography begins May 2025 across Pennsylvania with release scheduled for 2026.
