Milton Hershey movie set for release next year

HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – A “major motion picture” featuring Milton and Catherine Hershey will begin production next month, according to The Hershey Company.

The film “HERSHEY” will feature American Horror Story actor Finn Wittrock as Milton Hershey and White Lotus actress Alexandra Daddario as Catherine Hershey.

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The movie “explores the origins of the iconic chocolate empire and the ingredients that have achieved lasting cultural significance.”

Director Mark Waters, who has directed movies including Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, will direct the HERSHEY movie. The film is set to be released in 2026 for America’s 250th anniversary and will be filmed “across Pennsylvania.”

“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).

The film is 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 representing worldwide rights.

“Milton Hershey’s story exemplifies the American Dream,” said Michele Buck, President and CEO of The Hershey Company. “This movie will reveal how Milton and Kitty built something far greater than a chocolate company. Their legacy extends beyond sweet treats to education, community, and opportunity for thousands. We’re proud to support a film that shares the full Hershey story—one of resilience, vision and impact that continues to inspire today.”