Dying for a Crown

After leaving Los Angeles under a veil of secrets, Lydia Campbell and her daughter Elle start over in a sun drenched Florida town. Lydia takes a job as an assistant principal at Bellview High, while Elle attends as a senior facing a new school, new friends, and new expectations. Both women are desperate for a better life, willing to bend rules and stretch loyalties to make it happen. With prom season looming, Elle throws herself into the school social scene, certain that popularity and a coveted crown will cement their future. Lydia stands by her, weighing the risks as rumors swirl and old problems begin to surface. The pressure to fit in threatens to unravel the truth they left behind.

Directed by Damián Romay, Dying for a Crown is a 2022 television thriller presented as an original screenplay rather than an adaptation. The cast centers on Jennifer Titus as Lydia Campbell and Catharine Daddario as Elle, supported by Laura W Johnson, Jevon White, and Kim Grant.

At its core the film leans into sharp edged high school politics and the moral compromises families make in pursuit of security and visibility. It toys with the lure of popularity, the cost of secrets, and the bond between a mother and daughter under pressure. The tone shifts between glossy social scenes and tense calculated maneuvers as characters weigh what they are willing to sacrifice. The reception appears modest, with a 5.2 out of 10 from five votes, suggesting audiences found it uneven yet watchable. Themes of ambition, loyalty, and control anchor the drama, while the Florida setting adds a bright backdrop to a grim crown chase.

Box office data is not applicable to this television movie; it did not have a theatrical release. Earnings would come from distribution deals and streaming rights rather than box office tallies.