The Brutalist lands on Netflix on May 12, 2026. After a February 12, 2025, French cinema release, Brady Corbet’s drama spans decades to trace the life of László Tóth, a Hungarian Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor, as he confronts exile, reconstruction, and the American Dream.
The Brutalist
Film | 2025
In theaters: February 12, 2025
Streaming on Netflix since May 12, 2026
Historical drama | Runtime: 3h34
Directed by Brady Corbet | Screenplay: Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
Starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce
Original title: The Brutalist
Country: United States
Fleeing war-torn Europe, László Tóth lands in Pennsylvania with hopes of rebuilding his life, his career, and his relationship with Erzsébet, strained by shifting borders and changing regimes. Left to his own devices, he catches the eye of Harrison Lee Van Buren, a powerful industrialist who sees in him an architect capable of shaping a grand, transformatory vision.
Co-written by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist probes how the lure of a fresh start collides with traumatic memory and the price of recognition. The character of László Tóth is fictional, but the film sits within a broader arc of exile, postwar reconstruction, and modern architecture, with Brutalism standing as an overarching aesthetic and political horizon.
The direction leans into the sweeping scope of the saga, delivering an expansive narrative that spans decades and runs 3 hours and 34 minutes. Filmed notably in Budapest, Hungary, the project relies on distinctive technical choices, including the use of film stock and the VistaVision format. The prominence of languages, especially Hungarian, helps anchor László’s journey.
Adrien Brody portrays a man haunted by war and driven by a compulsive need to create. Opposite him, Felicity Jones embodies Erzsébet, a pivotal figure in the emotional rebuilding of the couple, while Guy Pearce embodies Harrison Lee Van Buren, a central character in the dynamics of patronage, power, and domination that run through the film.
The Brutalist made waves at the Venice Film Festival in 2024, where Brady Corbet took home the Silver Lion for directing. The film then kicked off the 2025 awards season with three Golden Globes, including Best Drama, and earned three Oscars awarded to Adrien Brody, Daniel Blumberg for music, and Lol Crawley for cinematography.
This Netflix arrival lets audiences discover or revisit The Brutalist on streaming, after its theatrical release and its run on Canal+. The film mainly appeals to fans of historical dramas, sweeping epics about exile, and stories in which artistic creation confronts social and political structures.
Trailer for The Brutalist:
To go further, also check out our pick of Netflix’s May 2026 new releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today’s selection: What to watch today in streaming.
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