Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender), a lighthouse keeper, and his wife Isabel (Alicia Vikander) are living off the coast in post World War I Western Australia. One day, the couple rescue a baby girl who has washed up on an adrift rowboat and decide to informally adopt her as their own, whom they name Lucy. But as Lucy grows older, Tom and Isabel discover the consequences of raising the child when a visit to the mainland and an encounter with a particular woman, (Rachel Weisz), threaten to break apart their blissfully happy family.

DreamWorks acquired the rights to the novel on November 27, 2012, with David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford producing, In September 2013, it was announced Derek Cianfrance would direct the film. In June 2014, Alicia Vikander joined the cast of the film. In July 2014, Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz joined the cast. Participant Media co-produced the film.