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As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview, audiences get their first look at 'The Woman in Cabin 10', Netflix’s upcoming psychological thriller film set to premiere in Fall 2025. Starring Keira Knightley and directed by Simon Stone, the film adapts Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel into a stylish, high-stakes story of suspicion and survival aboard a luxurious yacht where nothing is as it seems.
Knightley plays Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist assigned to cover an exclusive cruise. What begins as a dream assignment quickly unravels into a nightmare. One night, Lo witnesses what she believes is a woman being thrown overboard. But when she reports it, she's told that no passengers are missing. Isolated and dismissed by the crew, she’s left to question what happened — and how far she's willing to go to uncover the truth.
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Image Courtesy: Collider
Director Simon Stone approached the story intending to subvert typical thriller tropes. He deliberately avoided the genre's common framing of the female protagonist as mentally unstable. His vision for Lo was closer to the iconic leads of 1970s paranoid thrillers — figures like Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, whose perspectives are never doubted. He wanted Knightley’s character to carry that same weight of conviction, someone the audience instinctively trusts from the start.
What's More Unique About 'The Woman in Cabin 10'?
To heighten the sense of unease in 'The Woman in Cabin 10', Stone teamed up with cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine to create a visual language that amplifies isolation. Wide-angle lenses were placed unnervingly close to the actors, distorting the opulent environment into something tense and disorienting. The yacht, initially a symbol of wealth and exclusivity, gradually transforms into a cold, claustrophobic trap. Stone noted that this opulence eventually becomes its own kind of torment, reflecting a deeper critique of elite privilege and the moral detachment it fosters.
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Image Courtesy: People
The exclusive image from the film captures this atmosphere perfectly. Knightley’s character stands alone on the yacht’s deck, surrounded by steel railings and deep shadows. The open sea looms behind her, emphasising her solitude despite the wealth and luxury surrounding her. Her stance and expression reflect not just fear, but a steely determination to uncover the truth — no matter the cost.
Who is Onboard 'The Woman in Cabin 10'?
The film boasts a powerhouse ensemble cast, including Guy Pearce, David Ajala, among notable names. The screenplay, co-written by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse, and Stone, transforms the novel’s internal narrative into a visually immersive experience.
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Image Courtesy: People
Stone explained that while novels invite readers to imagine themselves in the character’s place, film demands a more immediate connection.
While Stone remained tight-lipped about key plot twists, he hinted at a major reveal that will shift audience perceptions and fuel post-release discussions. But at its core, the film thrives on atmosphere — a mounting sense of dread, isolation, and the chilling realisation that sometimes, the most terrifying thing is believing the protagonist is right.
'The Woman in Cabin 10' will be available to stream on Netflix this fall.
