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Netflix Delays Denzel Washington Film, Pushes Saturn Return to 2027

8/11/2026

26 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Netflix Delays Film

Netflix has moved the film Here Comes the Flood starring Denzel Washington and Robert Pattinson from a 2026 release to 2027 because a tight post-production window and its 2026 release strategy left insufficient time.
Fernando Meirelles directs the film.
Screenwriter Simon Kinberg wrote the script, with the cast including Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Production in New Jersey ran from September 2025 to late January 2026, with no 2027 release date announced.

Summary

Netflix Pushes Back

Netflix will debut Saturn Return at SXSW in March 2027, postponing it to avoid the fourth-quarter window and aim for stronger impact the following year.
Its 2026 slate already includes Cannes winners La Bola Negra and Gentle Monster, limiting space for additional prestige releases.
Analysts note A24, Paramount and other studios are moving titles such as The Riders and Children of Blood and Bone to 2027, indicating a broader reshuffle.

History

Historical Context

James Cameron moved his sci-fi epic Avatar from a summer slot to a December 2009 debut, a decision 20th Century Fox backed while the franchise’s $1 billion budget grew into a $6.7 billion worldwide gross. The success showed December releases could lift profits, a pattern repeated with Way of Water (2022) and now echoed by Netflix’s 2026-27 schedule shifts.

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Netflix Delays Film

Netflix has moved the film Here Comes the Flood starring Denzel Washington and Robert Pattinson from a 2026 release to 2027 because a tight post-production window and its 2026 release strategy left insufficient time.
Fernando Meirelles directs the film.
Screenwriter Simon Kinberg wrote the script, with the cast including Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Production in New Jersey ran from September 2025 to late January 2026, with no 2027 release date announced.

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