The Big Picture

• Zooey Deschanel stars in a new indie rom-com titled, Merv, opposite Charlie Cox.
• Merv centers on a recently separated couple who rekindle their romance while on a vacation to lift their dog's spirits.
• Merv will also serve as Deschanel's return to the rom-com genre.

As any film buff will tell you, you can always count on Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) to participate in some indie movie with awkward, adorably cute characters and comedic storylines. Her newest project is Merv, a romantic comedy she'll star alongside Marvel star Charlie Cox (Daredevil: Born Again). In the story, Cox and Deschanel play a separated couple who are forced to resume contact after they discover the dog they own is suffering from depression. The movie is yet to get a release date.

First announced back in March, Merv got a first-look image today. It shows the couple at the beach with Merv the dog sitting next to them. The twist in the story is that Merv's depression is directly connected to the couple's break-up so that motivates both of them to take the dog on a vacation to lift the animal's spirits. The question is, will they be able to stand each other during this vacation? Or will they rekindle their romance on the whirlwind getaway? We'll have to wait for a trailer to speculate more.

Merv will be sort of a return-to-form to Deschanel, who, for a long time, was closely associated with indie films. After a seven-season stint in New Girl, however, she's been understandably away from feature films for the better part of the last decade. Now, Merv serves as the actor's comeback to the rom-com world, a genre that made her internationally famous with (500) Days of Summer — a movie that sparks controversial discussions to this day.

Who's The Team Behind 'Merv?'

The rom-com is directed by Jessica Swale, who will make Merv the follow-up to her feature film directing debut Summerland. The screenplay is written by Dane Clark (One More Time) and Lindsey Stewart (Workin' Moms). Aside from Deschanel and Cox, the cast also features Patricia Heaton (The Middle), Chris Redd (Saturday Night Live), Jasmine Matthews (The Rookie), Wynn Everett (Sweet Magnolias), and Joey Slotnick (Drive-Away Dolls).

Also known for her vocal talents, Deschanel could participate on the soundtrack of Merv — or even sing to the depressed dog throughout the movie. The actor's musical talent is frequently incorporated into her projects, but so far there is no official word of Deschanel pairing up her musical comeback with her rom-com renaissance.

Merv does not yet have a release date but stay tuned at Collider for further updates. You can watch Deschanel in New Girl on Hulu and catch Cox in Daredevil on Disney+.

Watch on Hulu