After making an uncomfortably hilarious first impression at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, Sanctuary is set to share its perverse thrills and dark comedy with a broader audience in just a few days. Exclusively starring Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbot, the already acclaimed film from director Zachary Wigon takes place entirely in a single hotel room. Billed as part drama, part comedy, and part thriller, Sanctuary is already being praised as one of the year’s best films. Collider’s own Chase Hutchinson calls it “a maniacal masterclass of acting from Abbott and Qualley.”
With word of mouth and positive reviews already picking up plenty of steam for the darkly comedic thriller, many eager film fans have been anxiously awaiting the moment they can see the gripping character-driven story unfold for themselves. Thankfully, those same filmgoers won’t have to wait too long, as the release of Sanctuary is just around the corner. To see if the upcoming film is playing in a theater near you and if and when it will be coming to streaming, here is where you can watch Sanctuary.
When is the Release Date for Sanctuary?
Audiences in the U.S. will be able to be trapped in a hotel room with Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbot when Sanctuary begins its wider theatrical run on Friday, May 19th, 2023. It’s bound to be a pretty big weekend for theaters, given that’s the exact date that Fast X, the tenth entry in the Fast and Furious franchise, will also premiere.
Is Sanctuary in Theaters?
The only way to see Sanctuary on May 19th is to see it in a theater, but that can be easier said than done, given that Sanctuary will be a limited release. That means that only a select few theaters will be screening the film across the country, so you may have to find a cinema that isn’t your regular movie theater to see the upcoming movie.
Find Showtimes for Sanctuary
To find out if you’re lucky enough to be near a theater playing Sanctuary, feel free to check out the following links to purchase tickets for yourself if available.
When Will Sanctuary Be on Streaming?
No plans for a streaming release have been announced for Sanctuary at this time. Sanctuary is a production of Neon, one of the biggest independent distribution companies in the industry today. Neon being the company behind Sanctuary is really no surprise given they’ve become known for their incredible absurdist dark comedies, having recently won the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival two years in a row with Titane and Triangle of Sadness.
That all said, Neon formed a partnership with Hulu in 2017 for a first-window deal to bring Neon’s films to the streaming service, which is still active today. That means that Hulu will likely be the streamer that Sanctuary makes its home on, but its also possible the long-standing deal between Hulu and Neon may change following the announcement that Hulu is merging with Disney+.
As of now, though, Hulu currently has two main subscription plans. The basic option includes ads and costs $7.99 USD per month or $79.99 USD per year. Alternatively, a more expensive option removes most ads from the service for the cost of $14.99 USD per month. Other options to get Hulu include the Disney Bundle options, though the plan likely won’t be available after Disney+ and Hulu merge at an undisclosed date. The Disney Bundle has three payment plans. First is Disney Bundle Duo Basic, which includes Hulu and Disney+ with ads for $9.99 USD per month. Then there is the Disney Bundle Trio Basic, which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ with ads for $12.99 USD per month. Finally, there’s Disney Bundle Trio Premium, with removes ads from Hulu and Disney+ (but not ESPN+) for $19.99 USD per month.
When Will Sanctuary Be on DVD, Blu-ray, and VOD?
As with streaming, no plans have been made known for a home video release for the upcoming film. That said, Sanctuary should be coming to DVD, Blu-ray, and VOD around the same time it comes to streaming. For most blockbusters, that’s about ninety days after release, but for more minor independent features like Sanctuary, they typically become available to watch at home quite a bit sooner.
Watch the Trailer for Sanctuary
The main trailer for Sanctuary quickly introduces the one setting and two characters we’ll follow for the next hour and a half. The first person we see in the hotel room is Hal (Christopher Abbott), the wealthy son of a hotel franchise owner. The second is Rebecca (Margaret Qualley, a dominatrix that Hal hires for pleasure. Hal assumed their sexual relationship was platonic, but she takes it personally when he tells Rebecca that he’s calling things off to pursue his career. After telling Hal that she recorded their intimate sessions, it kickstarts a psychological game of cat and mouse where the former couple’s safeword of “Sanctuary” loses all meaning.
Movies From Neon You Can Stream Right Now
Titane (2019) – One of the most surreal movies of 2019, Titane became a word-of-mouth sensation for it’s incredibly bizarre and creative body horror and particularly strange look at cars. We’d love to tell you more, but this is one of those movies that’s best experienced blind. That said, be ready for a weird and wacky ride.
Triangle of Sadness (2022) – Ruben Östlund is a filmmaker well-known for his “eat the rich” storylines, and Triangle of Sadness may be his very best example of that as it went on to get a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Though much of the film takes advantage of an ensemble cast, most of the story centers around a wealthy male model and his strained relationship with his girlfriend as they charter a luxury yacht for a vacation. Surrounded by underpaid workers and spoiled passengers, things take a turn for the worst when the ship encounters all manner of tragedy.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2023) – Neon’s most recent feature film is yet another bona fide hit, with How to Blow Up a Pipeline presenting a fascinating look at environmental extremism and its reasoning. The must-watch film from Daniel Goldhaber centers on a group of young adults who take issue with the environmental damage that an in-progress oil pipeline is prepped to cause. To stop this development from happening, they do just what the self-explanatory title suggests and try to blow it up.
