Jennifer Lawrence to Star in Zach Cregger’s Sci-Fi Thriller The Flood

Zach Cregger’s next movie, a science fiction thriller called The Flood, is set to release in theaters on August 11, 2028.

Cregger is writing, producing, and directing the film, which will star Jennifer Lawrence, as confirmed by Variety on September 29, 2026.

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are slated to distribute the movie, which is being produced by Amblin Entertainment and Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee and Miri Yoon.

Thus far, other cast members and specific plot details have been kept secret, but Cregger has given us a few insights into what we can expect from his forthcoming sci-fi flick. Speaking to Men’s Health in mid-September, Cregger revealed that the movie is 'similar' to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

“I'm not comparing [The Flood] to 2001, because I think 2001 is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word. But there's a bizarreness to that movie that's really undeniable, and it's also a horror movie. I think 2001 is a really thrilling horror movie about human nature, and obviously about artificial intelligence, but it asks big questions. And I think, in that way, there's some similarity with Flood,” he said.

Based on these remarks, we can safely assume that The Flood has something to do with AI, human nature, and big-picture concepts — but one thing he confirmed was that The Flood is very specifically not a horror movie.

“It unfolds in a very unique way that I'm really proud of. It's disturbing, but it's not a horror movie, although there are horror scenes in it. It feels intimidating to me. I'm still not really sure how to make it, but I think that's a good thing,” he clarified.

“It's hard to talk about it without talking about the story. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to make that movie. I’m in love with that story in a really unique way."

This news comes hot on the heels of Cregger’s Resident Evil adaptation, which released to overwhelmingly positive reviews among both fans of the games and film critics alike. It became the single most-successful Resident Evil movie ever, and even helped boost sales for Resident Evil 2 Remake by 50% on PlayStation 5.

Cregger is best known for horror flicks like Barbarian and Weapons, so it’ll be interesting to see his take on a science fiction thriller. He isn’t the only big director in the horror space with exciting news to share, either, as Obsession director Curry Barker’s next movie, a horror-comedy titled Anything But Ghosts, has received a theatrical release date for May 7, 2027.

Image Credits: Maya Dehlin Spach/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images