Summary
The Watchers' streaming release date has now been confirmed. Directed by Ishana Shyamalan and based on the A.M. Shine book of the same name,The Watchershit theaters in June. The film follows Dakota Fanning’s Mina as she takes refuge in a remote structure in a forest in western Ireland. Mina and the three strangers she’s trapped with soon find that they’re being stalked by mysterious creatures watching them from outside.The Watchers' reviewsweren’t overly positive, and the film ended up hitting VOD at the end of June.
Now, Warner Bros. reveals thatThe Watcherswill release on the Max streaming service on Friday, August 30. The streaming release date comes three days after the film’s physical media release, which is set for August 27. Come Friday, then, the film will be available to watch on all three major home viewing platforms for those looking to watch the film again or check it out for the first time.
The Watchers' Creatures Explained: History, Powers, & What They Look Like
The terrifying creatures that haunt the woods in The Watchers have a backstory based on a legendary race of creatures from real-world folklore.
How The Watchers Fared In Theaters
Will The Ishana Shyamalan Film Do Better At Home?
Though Shine’s book was generally well-received, Shyamalan’s film proved far more divisive. OnRotten Tomatoes,The Watcherscurrently has a score of only 32%, with critics taking issue with various aspects of the mystery thriller. While Shyamalan creates an effective horror atmosphere and Fanning and the cast offer up compelling performances,The Watchersultimately lacks the narrative thrills to accompany this, andthe entire exercise has ultimately been criticized for lacking excitement and momentum.
In addition to Fanning,The Watchers' cast features Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan, Alistair Brammer, and John Lynch.
The Rotten Tomatoes audience score for the film, now called the Popcornmeter, is more favorable at 52%, but this is still very much a mixed result. This lackluster audience response is reflected inThe Watchers' box office performance, asthe film grossed only $33 million worldwide on an estimated $30 million budget. ThoughThe Watchers' endingleaves some interesting questions lingering, which can sometimes drive word-of-mouth, the audience response just wasn’t enough to drive the film anywhere close to commercial success.
In today’s theatrical landscape where audiences are more picky about what movies are worth seeing in theaters, something likeThe Watcherswas always likely to struggle, especially at that budget level. There’s a chance, however, that Shyamalan’s film will prove far more popular on streaming, as those who opted not to see it in theaters can now check it out for the first time at home, just as happened with 2024’sAbigail, which was made at a similar budget level. Unlike the well-reviewedAbigail, though,The Watchers' mostly negative reception could be a deterrent to viewers, even at home.
The Watchers
Cast
Based on A.M. Shine’s novel, The Watchers follows Mina, a twenty-eight-year-old artist stranded in the middle of a forest in Ireland. Her momentary relief when she finds shelter is shattered when she discovers other strangers in the same predicament - but they’re stalked each night by unseen creatures.
