Fans' fears confirmed by release date update on new Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst movie

If you were hoping to catch The Entertainment System Is Down in cinemas this year, I’ve got some bad news: that’s almost certainly not happening. The early whispers about a delay were dead on, and now it’s looking like the film may not see the light of day until 2027.

The Entertainment System Is Down is now eyeing a 2027 Cannes premiere rather than its previously expected debut this year.

More about the film

This isn’t just any old delayed project, either. Ruben Östlund, the man who took home the Palme d'Or for The Square and Triangle of Sadness, is behind the camera for this one. Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst top-line a cast that’s fairly stacked: you’ve got Daniel Brühl, Nicholas Braun, Samantha Morton, Vincent Lindon, and Tobias Menzies all along for the ride.

The premise is an absolute Östlund move — set entirely onboard a long-haul flight from London to Sydney, everything goes sideways when the in-flight entertainment system packs up. Hours with no films, no music, no telly. Just unfiltered, restless passengers and a load of forced small talk. If you’re feeling social anxiety already, you’re not alone.

They didn’t phone it in with the set either: Östlund actually bought a real Boeing 747 for the production, parked it on set and filmed almost everything inside the real deal.

Why the delay?

The film was initially tipped for a Cannes debut, but Variety confirmed that Östlund himself is in no rush. The director made it clear at the Göteborg Film Festival that it all comes down to wanting more time in the editing suite. Here’s how he put it, talking to Deadline about the looming decision:

'At the end of February, we’re going to decide whether to go to Cannes this year, or actually wait and edit one more year before we release the film.'

So, far from being a bad sign, this is all about perfectionism. Seems a few studios are ducking out of the 2026 awards race too, holding back their bigger titles until they can secure splashy festival launches and, naturally, squeeze in extra post-production time.

• Östlund directs and writes, with Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober producing
• A24 grabbed the US distribution rights early on
• There’s still no official theatrical release date — don’t expect one until Cannes lines up its 2027 slate

If you’re keeping count, this means fans are facing a fairly hefty wait for any kind of public screening. But with Östlund at the helm and a cast like this on board, the project’s definitely not dropping off the radar — just idling on the runway a bit longer than planned.