Keira Knightley is at the centre of Netflix’s newest thriller, The Woman in Cabin 10, an adaptation of Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel. Released on October 10, the film follows Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist who is assigned to cover the maiden voyage of an opulent superyacht. What begins as an enviable assignment quickly turns into a fight for survival when she witnesses a woman being pushed overboard. The problem is, none of the passengers or crew believe her.
Knightley plays Lo with a mix of vulnerability and determination, pushing against the suffocating disbelief around her. Guy Pearce takes on the role of Richard Bullmer, the enigmatic and wealthy yacht owner, while Kaya Scodelario, Hannah Waddingham, and David Ajala fill out a cast of passengers who each harbour secrets of their own. The ensemble also features Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Morrissey, Art Malik, and Amanda Collin, giving the film an impressive breadth of talent.
The story’s premise is deceptively simple but layered with suspense. Trapped at sea, Lo has nowhere to run and no one to trust. Her insistence that a murder has taken place pits her against a collective conspiracy of silence, leaving audiences to question motives at every turn. Director Simon Stone has said the film takes cues from 1970s thrillers like The Conversation and from Hitchcock classics, lending the project a retro edge while staying faithful to the taut atmosphere of Ware’s original novel.
Early footage shows Knightley in tense stand-offs, desperate phone calls, and claustrophobic corridors that heighten the psychological intensity. The film balances glamour and dread, turning the yacht’s luxury into an unnerving backdrop for paranoia. Netflix is clearly positioning The Woman in Cabin 10 as one of its marquee thrillers for the autumn season, echoing the streamer’s success with other page-to-screen adaptations.
As the mystery unfolds, viewers are left to wonder whether Lo will prove she is telling the truth or become the next victim lost to the sea. With its blend of a high-profile cast, stylish direction, and a story that keeps twisting, the film seems designed to hold audiences firmly on edge.
The Woman in Cabin 10 premieres on Netflix on 10 October, setting the stage for a gripping autumn release.
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