Alex Garland's much anticipated film Annihilation could soon be released on Netflix in the UK, with the online streaming company reportedly negotiating a deal with Paramount/Skydance. Watch a trailer for the film here:
Credit: Paramount
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Although it will see a traditional theatrical release in the US, Canada and China, Deadline reports that the decision on the UK release was made after Garland's critically-acclaimed film Ex Machina premiered on the site.
Adapted from the first book in Jeff VanderMeer's bestselling Southern Reach trilogy, the film stars Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Gina Rodriguez. The plot of the film sees a team of four women (a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor) as they travel to Area X, an area abandoned and cut off from the rest of civilisation.
Its release will follow Garland's directorial debut Ex Machina, which was given a warm reception by critics when it came out in 2015, so there's a lot of hype surrounding the release of his second feature.
Credit: Paramount
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The magazine New Scientist had particularly glowing praise for his first flick. Their reviewer said: "It is a rare thing to see a movie about science that takes no prisoners intellectually ... [it] is a stylish, spare and cerebral psycho-techno thriller, which gives a much needed shot in the arm for smart science fiction."
IGN reviewer Chris Tilly even went as far as describing the film as 'amazing', saying: "Anchored by three dazzling central performances, it's a stunning directorial debut from Alex Garland that's essential viewing for anyone with even a passing interest in where technology is taking us."
Despite the critical acclaim, Ex Machina grossed only $11.3 million in international revenues, compared to $25.4 million in the US, which is thought to be the driving force behind the decision to forgo a theatre release.
Featured Image Credit: ParamountTopics: Entertainment, Film and TV, Netflix