Companion has landed a streaming release date. The film, written and directed by Drew Hancock in his feature directorial debut, centers on a young couple who go on a weekend getaway with friends, though unbeknownst to some of them is that the woman is actually an A.I.-driven robot. Led by Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, Companion garnered widespread acclaim from critics and was a modest box office hit, grossing nearly $37 million against its $10 million production budget.

Nearly three months after it hit theaters, Max has announced Companion will be joining its streaming library. The film, a sci-fi thriller about a robot and her human partner having a weekend getaway that goes awry, will be coming to the platform on April 18. Additionally, the Jack Quaid-starring thriller will premiere on HBO on Saturday, April 19 at 8 p.m. EST.

What Companion’s Streaming Release Means For The FIlm

It Could Follow In The Footsteps Of Its Producer’s Prior Hit

Considering the film was produced by New Line Cinema, Companion coming to Max was pretty much always guaranteed, since they’re all owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. That being said, it also shows a more consistent scheduling on WBD’s part of releasing their films on streaming after hitting theaters, with their prior prestige release, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, making its premiere on Max three months after it released on the big screen. Prior to that, movies would hit Max anywhere from one month, like Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2, to four months, like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, after theaters.

With it now having a streaming release date set, though, Companion releasing on Max in April comes at an interesting time for the film. Thatcher’s previous genre hit, Heretic, hit the platform in early March and became an immediate hit for the streamer. Plus, with Yellowjackets season 3 having just come to a close, those looking to watch more of her work in the show’s absence can now set up a double feature with the Hugh Grant and Chloe East-co-starring horror-thriller and sci-fi thriller.

One of the other big factors sure to work in Companion‘s favor on streaming is that it was produced by Zach Cregger, currently best known for the 2022 horror-thriller Barbarian. After becoming a similarly acclaimed and financial success, Barbarian went on to become a streaming hit, particularly after its leap to Netflix. Though a streaming home change won’t happen any time soon, having Cregger’s name attached to Companion as a producer, along with it being a fresh release, is sure to not only help it get off to a strong start on Max, but go even further in following weeks.

Our Take On Companion’s Streaming Release

An Exciting Chance To Visit One Of The Year’s Twistiest Thrillers

Between both Warner Bros.’ library of films and their deal with A24, Max has become a great platform for genre fans like myself, and I’m thrilled Companion is coming to the streamer soon. Without getting into spoilers, the movie packs a few great twists, but also does well to not have to rely on them either to keep the suspense going, and the cast all turn in top-notch performances. I hope that the movie becomes a major streaming hit and catapults Drew Hancock to further success like Cregger before him.

Source: Max