Netflix is off to a hot start in 2026 when it comes to its big original movies. Starting with the acclaimed Emily Henry rom-com adaptation, People We Meet on Vacation, critics and audiences have both mostly been on board for what the streamer is serving up of late, from the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck heist thriller The Rip to Alan Ritchson‘s gritty sci-fi thriller War Machine, and the Peaky Blinders sequel film, The Immortal Man. This month will look to keep the success going with a new giant shark disaster flick, Thrash, and the tense survival thriller Apex, led by Charlize Theron and Eric Bana. It’s in May, however, when one of the platform’s most anticipated features will finally swim onto screens.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is slated to swim onto Netflix exactly one month from now with a cast anchored by Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, and Alfred Molina. However, only two of those three will be appearing on-screen. Field leads the trio as Tova, a widow spending her days cleaning the local aquarium during off-hours, when she meets a couple of unexpected friends in the form of a young man seeking family, played by Pullman, and a cantankerous octopus, voiced by Molina. The story is adapted from Shelby Van Pelt‘s debut novel of the same name, which burst onto the scene in 2022 and became an overwhelming success through word of mouth, with over 3.5 million copies sold to this day and a staggering run of over 65 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. In anticipation of the film’s arrival, a new trailer has been released, teasing the heartfelt journey between the trio as they rediscover their sense of wonder together.
Much of the footage is narrated by Marcellus the octopus, who, for the most part, isn’t fond of humans from what little of their lives he’s seen from his tank. However, he experiences more appreciation for Tova than any of them, and he takes an interest in her budding bond with the wayward Cameron (Pullman). Initially, they don’t start on the right foot, given that Cameron is positioned as her replacement at the aquarium. With time, though, they each discover there’s more to each other’s stories. Tova uses the aquarium as a place of respite after not just losing her husband, but also her son, while Cameron is merely seeking work while he tries to find his long-lost dad. Marcellus is smart enough to deduce that they’re both suffering from a similar void in their lives, yet, perhaps, they’re the perfect people to fill it for each other. They slowly become the found family they both lack, pushing each other outside their respective bubbles, with a little assistance from their slimy eight-armed pal.
‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ Cast Brought Heart and Levity to the Story
Where the Crawdads sing director Olivia Newman directed Remarkably Bright Creatures and co-wrote the screenplay with John Whittington. In front of the screen, Newman had a bounty to work with in addition to the starry main trio, including Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, and Sofia Black D’Elia. In an interview for Collider’s Exclusive Spring Preview series, however, she attested that the Norma Rae and Thunderbolts stars were some of her personal favorites for how they meshed together and managed to bring surprising humor to the very heartfelt story of loss, grief, and finding connection.
“Working with Sally and Lewis was a career highlight for me. They are both so present and open as actors and had this incredibly organic chemistry that made every scene come to life in the most unexpected ways. They are both deeply committed actors, willing to go to their most vulnerable places, but also to find joy and humor at any moment. I don’t think I have laughed as much every day as I did working on this film with the two of them!”
Remarkably Bright Creatures swims onto Netflix on May 8. Check out the new trailer in the player above.
- Release Date
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May 8, 2026
- Runtime
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111 Minutes
- Director
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Olivia Newman
- Writers
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Olivia Newman, John Whittington
- Producers
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Peter Craig, Bryan Unkeless, David Levine
