Directed by M. Night Shyamalan and co-written with Steve Desmond, Knock at the Cabin stars Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, and Dave Bautista in a horrific closed-door drama. Released in theaters in France on February 1, 2023, the film will be available to stream on HBO Max starting December 26, 2025.
The story follows a family who have come to spend a few days in an isolated cabin, far from the hustle and bustle of city life. Their tranquility is shattered when a group of four strangers led by Leonard arrive with an alarming message. According to them, the occupants must make an irreversible decision to prevent an impending apocalypse. Cut off from the world, the characters are faced with a moral dilemma of rare intensity.
As the situation escalates, the family tries to understand the nature of the threat and the veracity of the intruders' claims. Between visions, disturbing announcements, and external events, the atmosphere becomes increasingly oppressive, while the film questions individual responsibility and the notion of sacrifice in the face of a danger that is predicted to be global.
The film is based on a screenplay spotted on the 2019 Blacklist, before being picked up and rewritten by M. Night Shyamalan, who ultimately directed it. The work is inspired by Paul Tremblay's novel The Cabin at the End of the World, although the director strayed from the original story to construct a more personal vision. Filming took place in New Jersey, with the construction of a life-size cabin and a second set in the studio. The film was shot in 35mm with Panavision anamorphic lenses to recreate the aesthetic of a classic thriller. Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, and Ben Aldridge worked closely together to build psychological tension in a setting constructed as a moral closed room.
Knock at the Cabin is for fans of psychological thrillers and horror films based on dramatic tension. The film explores faith, certainty, doubt, and impossible choices, with a minimalist atmosphere focused on threat and suspense.
Knock at the Cabin
Film | 2023
On HBO Max December 26, 2025
Horror/Thriller | Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
By M. Night Shyamalan | Starring Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Dave Bautista
Nationality: United States
With its arrival on HBO Max, the film offers the opportunity to (re)discover a dark and tense closed-door drama in which M. Night Shyamalan explores the notion of moral choice in the face of the inconceivable.
To learn more, check out HBO Max's new releases for December, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and our selection of What to Watch Today on Streaming.
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