Everything We Know About Hypnotic, Robert Rodriguez's Ben Affleck Thriller

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Robert Rodriguez is gearing up to make his return to theaters this summer with a brand new, mind-bending thriller starring none other than Ben Affleck. The somewhat mysterious film, titled "Hypnotic," held an in-progress screening at SXSW this year. You can read our findings right here from the version of the film that was screened, but the rest of you out there will soon have the chance to see the film for yourselves. The movie now has a release date and, unlike Rodriguez's recent venture, "We Can Be Heroes," this one is destined for the big screen.

For those who enjoy the "Alita: Battle Angel" and "From Dusk Till Dawn" filmmaker's work, we're here to give you all of the details about the flick so you can be ready to go when it rolls out in a theater near you. Here is everything you need to know about "Hypnotic."

"Hypnotic" is set to hit theaters on Friday, May 12, 2023. Ketchup Entertainment boarded the project to distribute it after the SXSW screening, and it will be given an exclusive theatrical release — at least at first. According to Deadline, a deal has been struck for the film to make its way to Peacock eventually, though no release date on the streaming service has been announced as of yet. Ketchup Entertainment CEO Gareth West had this to say about the release:

"It was great to see the reaction to the movie at SXSW, and we are excited to fast-track the film's completion to bring it to theaters across the U.S. on May 12th. We are honored to be working with visionary filmmaker Robert Rodriguez who has brought his signature style to 'Hypnotic,' and delivered a must-see film for audiences who crave edge-of-your-seat excitement."

This is a film that Rodriguez has been cooking up for two decades, having conceived of the idea initially around the time that "Spy Kids 2" was wrapping up. It had a long, troubled road to release as production finally got underway during the pandemic, with filming shut down three different times. There were also issues with its chief financier, Solstice, as well as an insurance lawsuit. Now, the dust has settled and Ketchup has around two months to launch a marketing campaign.

But what is the movie about, exactly? The official logline reads, "A detective becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of reality-bending crimes." Rodriguez, meanwhile, had this to say in a statement when the release date was announced:

"I've been working on this film for many years now, and to see the reaction from my hometown audience at SXSW was humbling and validating. I look forward to now sharing it with all movie lovers who want to experience a crazy fun ride full of unexpected twists and turns."

Robert Rodriguez directed "Hypnotic" from a screenplay he wrote alongside Max Borenstein ("Godzilla vs. Kong"). James Portolese, Joshua Throne, Maitreya Yasuda, Crystal Bourbeau, Vincent Bruzzese, Beth Bruckner O'Brien, Peter Touche, Christelle Conan, Gareth West, Chris Milburn, Walter Josten, Patrick Josten, and Jordan Wagner all serve as executive producers on the film. Meanwhile, Mark Gill, Guy Botham, Lisa Ellzey, Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Racer Max, and Rodriguez are on board as producers. A long list of producer credits, to be certain. Much of that might have to do with the fact that foreign pre-sales helped secure the film's $70 million budget, meaning that many people have a stake in the thriller.

The cast for the film is led by Ben Affleck ("The Town") as the detective at the center of the mind-bending thriller. The ensemble also includes Alice Braga ("The New Mutants"), JD Pardo ("Mayans M.C."), Hala Finley ("We Can Be Heroes"), Dayo Okeniyi ("Run Sweetheart Run"), Jeff Fahey ("The Lawnmower Man"), Jackie Earle Haley ("Watchmen"), and William Fichtner ("Prison Break").