‘Blink Twice’ — Everything We Know About Zoë Kravitz’s Directorial Debut

If you have been wondering where Zoë Kravitz has been since 2022’s The Batman, then this all-new thriller film has the answers. DC’s latest Catwoman has been working behind the screen on her latest project and is all set to launch her directorial debut with Blink Twice, which she also produces and co-writes. Billed as a psychological black comedy-thriller, Blink Twice follows a group of women who are lured to a tech mogul’s private island party where they discover dark secrets surrounding all the glitz and glam.

Kravitz making her debut as a filmmaker is not the only highlight of this film. Blink Twice is bolstered by a stacked ensemble, with Channing Tatum, playing his first villainous role in the form of Slater King. Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) and Alia Shawkat (Search Party) co-star as cocktail waitresses Frida and Jess, who are charmed by Slater and end up on his private island, where they begin to have reality-bending experiences.

Amazon MGM Studios’ involvement is another notable point about this upcoming project. The studio has been off to a successful start to 2024, with its breakout hit, The Beekeeper starring Jason Statham, which came soon after American Fiction, which took home the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

While you wait for Kravitz’s filmmaking debut to hit the screens, check out our quick guide below for the trailer, release date, plot, cast, and everything we know about Blink Twice.

Does ‘Blink Twice’ Have a Release Date?

After its initial announcement in 2022, Blink Twice finally has a release date and is set to premiere in theaters on August 23, 2024. Also releasing nationwide on August 23 is Rupert Sanders’ reboot of The Crow starring Bill Skarsgård.

Will ‘Blink Twice’ Be in Theaters or Streaming?

Released by Amazon MGM Studios, the dark comedy thriller is scheduled for an exclusive theatrical release on August 23, 2024. At this time, there is no update on Blink Twice’s streaming release, but considering it’s an Amazon MGM production, the film will likely land on Prime Video or MGM+ in the months following the theatrical premiere.

Stay tuned for the latest update on the streaming release date for Blink Twice.

Is There a Trailer for ‘Blink Twice’?

The freshly released official trailer of Blink Twice brings to life Zoë Kravitz’s vision of the dark side of wealth and power, where lust and deception are tools people use. The two-minute-long trailer sets the scene and tone for what’s about to unfold in the grim but comedic thriller.

The footage dives straight into the sinister plot with Tatum’s Slater King declaring “Everybody’s dead” as the scene cuts to a house on fire. Before one can process watching the Magic Mike star in his unsettling role of the story’s villain, the trailer cuts to a flashback where we are introduced to the party and its guests.

An ostensibly charming billionaire with a massive social presence, Slater is seen hosting a party at his lavish villa where he introduces the new guests, Frida (Ackie) and Jess (Shawkat) to his party guests. Though quite charismatic and affable on the outside, Slater seems to be holding some secrets, which are hard to extract from his introduction. At first, we see Frida and Jess soaking in every minute of the steamy, dreamy island vacation, experiencing Slater’s legendary parties that they have only heard of. But soon, it all begins to look like an eerie dream, where the guests slowly lose their memories.

Frida and Jess find themselves losing their grip on reality, and everything seems odd and uncanny. When Jess goes missing, Frida starts to examine what’s hiding behind the façade of the perfect host and his perfect party. From everyone having a good time at the secluded island getaway, the party turns into a nightmare with chaos, mayhem, and perhaps murders, ending the trailer clip on a high-tension note.

Despite a lengthy look at the film, the trailer of Blink Twice has managed to keep the actual story under wrap, making the audience wonder “what exactly is going on at the party,” and we can’t wait to find out more.

What Is ‘Blink Twice’ About?

The official synopsis for Blink Twice reads:

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.

Originally titled Pussy Island, during its initial development stage, Blink Twice is said to be born out of “a lot of anger and frustration around the lack of conversation about the treatment of women,” as Kravitz notes. Explaining the film’s original title, Kravitz also said in a Wall Street Journal interview,

The title came from that world. The title is the seed of the story. It represents this time where it would be acceptable for a group of men to call a place that, and the illusion that we’re out of that time now.

Who Stars in ‘Blink Twice’?

Soon after the film’s official announcement in 2021, the cast of Blink Twice was signed on with Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, and Alia Shawkat leading the ensemble.

Tatum plays Slater King, a delightful billionaire known for his legendary parties, who invites two young women he has just met, to his private island for a fun weekend. Most recognized for comedy, drama, and action roles, he was last seen in Magic Mike’s Last Dance and Blink Twice marks the actor’s shift from feel-good, positive characters to a sinister one. Tatum will be next seen in the period rom-com, Fly Me to the Moon. Talking about casting Tatum as the story’s antagonist, Kravitz has previously mentioned how this dark role is unique for the 21 Jump Street star and that “he wasn’t afraid of exploring that darkness.” Tatum, who is also the film’s co-producer, promises that his character, as well as the film’s plot, will be grim in ways fans haven’t seen before,

I play someone a little darker than I’ve ever played. We are definitely exploring some very uncomfortable themes, and, I don’t want to give away too much, but I’ve definitely never played a character like [this]. It was scary to play, because it’s definitely going to be a talk piece when it comes out. I think people are really gonna want to talk about it. That’s kind of the point, in a way. It’s meant to unsettle you.

English actor and BAFTA TV Award-winner, Naomi Ackie stars as Frida, a cocktail waitress who meets Slater King and accepts his invitation to his private island party. The End of the F***ing World and Master of None alum has films like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Lady Macbeth to her credit and recently garnered critical acclaim for her performance in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. She will be next seen in Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17.

Arrested Development and Search Party alum, Alia Shawkat stars as Frida’s friend, Jess, who accompanies her to Slater King’s party and is the first one to sense the creepiness of the place. Following her acclaimed works in Drift and The Old Man, Shawkat is next set to appear in the second season of Apple TV+’s Severance and the film, Atropia. Golden Globe winner, Mr. Robot alum Christian Slater stars as Vic, Slater’s friend, in his second project of 2024, after Jerry Seinfeld’s Unfrosted.

In other supporting roles, Andor’s Adria Arjona stars as Sarah, Red Rocket’s Simon Rex as Cody, and Goliath’s Haley Joel Osment as Tom. Golden Globe winner Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Academy Award winner Geena Davis (Thelma & Louis), and Levon Hawke (The Crowded Room) round up the rest of the cast.

Who Is Making ‘Blink Twice’?

Actress, model, and singer, Zoë Kravitz marks her debut as a filmmaker with Blink Twice. She also co-produces and co-writes the script with E.T. Feigenbaum, who holds writing credits for Hulu’s High Fidelity, which Kravitz also starred in and produced. Following her breakthrough performance as Angel Salvadore in 2011’s X-Men: First Class, Kravitz appeared in The Divergent Series, Fantastic Beasts film series, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. On television, she earned critical acclaim for her work on HBO’s Big Little Lies. Her latest film roles include Steven Soderbergh’s Kimi and Matt Reeves’s The Batman, the latter of which earned her several nominations for her performance of Selena Kyle/Catwoman. Kravitz is expected to reprise her role for The Batman – Part II.

Naomi Ackie had glowing things to say about working with Kravitz as a filmmaker.

“It was a sight to see, to watch her in her power, with full agency, lead us all into a place where we felt very safe. We felt very creative. We felt all very connected to each other.”

Shawkat shared Ackie’s enthusiasm:

“she’s the best curator of vibe I think there is. She’s very calm, and she’s a really good pack leader.”

Both Kravitz and Tatum serve as producers for Blink Twice under their banners, Free Association and This Is Important, respectively, along with Bruce Cohen, Garret Levitz, and Tiffany Persons. Jordan Harkins and Stacy Perskie serve as executive producers. Chanda Dancy, who previously composed the music for Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody and Lawmen: Bass Reeves is credited as the film’s composer.

When and Where Did ‘Blink Twice’ Film?

Blink Twice started filming in June 2022, with production taking place in Mexico. Talking about her experience of directing, Kravitz mentioned “learning a lot about what it takes to make a movie and how many fires are constantly being put out.”