After a surprise screening of a “work-in-progress” cut at the SXSW Festival, Robert Rodriguez’s upcoming film Hypnotic has secured a theatrical release date in the US, as per Deadline. The movie, featuring Ben Affleck, received a positive reception during its screening on Sunday, which was seen as a much-needed boost for the production, which faced many obstacles from script to screen. The decision to screen the big-budget film as a “work-in-progress” was uncommon, but it generated significant buzz for the film and boosted the confidence of its investors, particularly since Rodriguez screened it in his native Texas.
Robert Rodriguez, known for his work on Sin City, El Mariachi, and Spy Kids, as well as his recent collaborations with Disney and Lucasfilm on The Mandalorian and its spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett, has been working on Hypnotic, a $70 million passion project, for almost twenty years. The film, which will be released in over 2000 theaters domestically on May 12, 2023, has faced several challenges, including three production shutdowns, delays caused by COVID, and an insurance lawsuit. After seeing the response of his hometown audience at SXSW, Rodriguez expressed his gratitude, stating that he is excited to share the movie with all film lovers who are looking for a thrilling, unpredictable ride.
The movie features Ben Affleck as a detective who gets caught up in a series of otherworldly crimes linked to his daughter’s disappearance. Alongside a psychic ally, he pursues a dangerous apparition that he believes can help him find her. However, the situation becomes even more complicated as he delves deeper. The film’s ensemble cast includes Alice Braga, JD Pardo, Hala Finley, Dayo Okeniyi, Jeff Fahey, Jackie Earle Haley, and William Fichtner.
During a busy period for Ben Affleck, he will not only be promoting his films Air, which he directed and produced and also stars alongside Matt Damon, and DC’s The Flash, in which he returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman, most likely for the final time, but will also be promoting his latest film Hypnotic, which is set to be released in May 2023.