After selling over a million copies, now Remarkably Bright Creatures is coming to Netflix — and we finally know when. The film will premiere on the streaming service on May 8, 2026. It stars Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, and, believe it or not, a giant Pacific octopus. The film centers around Pacific Northwest resident Tova Sullivan (Oscar-winner Field), who works the night shift cleaning the Sowell Bay Aquarium. She’s an aging widow who finds herself striking up an unlikely cross-species friendship with the aquarium’s star attraction: Marcellus, a cantankerous octopus. The full synopsis is below:

A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms an unlikely bond with a Giant Pacific Octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family. Together, they will uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder. Based on the best-selling book.

Three decades ago, Tova’s son Erik mysteriously disappeared while boating in Puget Sound; now, Tova and Marcellus are going to get to the bottom of Erik’s ultimate fate. The novel, by Shelby Van Pelt, was first published in 2022 and spent 64 weeks on the New York Times’ bestseller list.

Who Else Stars in ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’?

Besides Field, who won Oscars for Norma Rae and Places in the Heart, Remarkably Bright Creatures boasts a cast worthy of its best-selling pedigree. Lewis Pullman has starred in blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick and Thunderbolts, and is set to star alongside his father, Bill Pullman, in the science fiction sequel spoof Spaceballs 2. Irish actor Colm Meaney is best known for playing the reliable and long-suffering Miles O’Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Joan Chen starred in The Last Emperor and Twin Peaks, and recently appeared in Oh. What. Fun. A recognizable character actor with roles in Edward Scissorhands and Cold Mountain, Kathy Baker recently turned up on Orphan Black: Echoes. Beth Grant is likewise familiar for playing hard-bitten characters in No Country for Old Men and The Mindy Project; last year, she starred in The Bondsman. Sofia Black-D’Elia starred on the series Skins, The Mick, and Single Drunk Female; last year, she guested on Deli Boys.

Remarkably Bright Creatures was directed by Olivia Newman, who helmed the 2024 sleeper hit Where the Crawdads Sing; she also co-wrote the script with John Whittington (The Lego Batman Movie, Knuckles). It is produced by Bryan Unkeless and Peter Craig for Night Owl and Anonymous Content’s David Levine. Night Owl’s Alyssa Rodrigues, Anonymous Content’s Tony Lipp, Erika Hampson, Alisa Tager, director Newman, and author Van Pelt will executive produce.

Remarkably Bright Creatures will premiere on Netflix on May 8, 2026.

via Collider