Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas' New Movie Skipping Theaters for Hulu Debut

Deep Water, an upcoming erotic thriller starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, is foregoing a theatrical release in favor of going straight to streaming on Hulu. The film, from Fatal Attraction and Indecent Proposal director Adriane Lyne, is likely to arrive on the streamer in early 2022, since its original theatrical date was January 14. Developed by 20th Century Studios and New Regency, Deep Water was pulled from Disney's theatrical release calendar last week. The move comes after Steven Spielberg's long-awaited take on West Side Story disappointed at the box office and ahead of the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Per Deadline, the market for non-genre, adult-driven films still seems soft theatrically. Since the covid-19 pandemic, few "prestige" films have managed to turn a profit at the box office, with the most recent example of a success story coming in the form of MGM's House of Gucci.

Lyne wrote 2018's Back Roads, but has not directed a feature film since 2002's Unfaithful, which was a commercial success but received mixed reviews from audiences and critics. Prior to that film, Lyne had helmed a string of acclaimed films, mostly in that same erotic thriller genre. After Flashdance made him a Hollywood favorite, Lyne went on to direct 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Jacob's Ladder, Indecent Proposal and Lolita between 1986 and 1997.

In Deep Water (per Deadline, who appear to be reporting the official synopsis), "Affleck and de Armas star as Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a married couple whose mind games with each other take a twisted turn when people around them start turning up dead. The couple staves off divorce in a loveless marriage by allowing each to take lovers, but it becomes messy as [author Patricia Highsmith] exposed the surface façade of American suburban life."

Zach Helm and Sam Levinson adapted the book, originally by Highsmith. In addition to Affleck and de Armas, the film also stars Tracy Letts, Rachel Blanchard, Dash Mihok, Lil Rel Howery, Jacob Elordi, Kristen Connolly, and Jade Fernandez.

There were no official comments available from any of the key players in the announcement, and there is not yet a new release date for the film.