Ben Affleck-Ana De Armas Erotic Thriller Deep Water Pulled From Schedule, May Not Actually Exist At This Point

Rumor has it Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck made a movie together. And by rumor, I mean it's a well-documented fact that the pair co-starred in the Adrian Lyne erotic thriller "Deep Water," but it's getting hard to believe this movie is real given we haven't seen a single piece of footage and its release has been delayed a million times over the past year. Now The Wrap reports that the film has been pulled from the 20th Century Studios theatrical release calendar entirely — so you can understand our doubts.

Once upon a time, this movie was slated to hit theaters over a year ago, on November 13, 2020. But due to the world falling apart (i.e. COVID-19), it was delayed until August 13, 2021. You'll notice that date has also passed, because yet another delay followed, pushing the film all the way back to January 14, 2022. Despite that release date quickly approaching, a trailer never arrived, so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised to learn that "Deep Water" won't debut in theaters anytime soon. As of now, there's no word on whether the release will be rescheduled.

Assuming the film hasn't blipped into a black hole and isn't a fever dream we collectively made up, it's possible it will arrive to audiences outside of theaters. After the acquisition of the century, Disney announced plans to make Hulu the exclusive streaming home to original movies from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight. So "Deep Water" could be a contender for a straight to Hulu release. It would be a shame to not enjoy the psychological drama on the big screen, but at this point, any indication that it exists at all would be a pleasure.

I have no idea what kind of star power Affleck and de Armas wield within the studio system, but if this is all an elaborate scheme to avoid reuniting the former couple, then Twitter doth protest: the inevitable "Deep Water" press tour was being awaited with baited breath. The pair co-starred in the film as a couple stuck in a loveless marriage that drives them to take pleasure in deadly mind games. They are held together only thanks to an arrangement allowing Melinda (de Armas) to take as many lovers as she desires, provided she never abandons her family for them. But — as it so often does — jealousy leads to murder, and the story spirals from there.

"Deep Water," if it actually exists, is an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name. As though the two stars headlining the film aren't enough to build buzz and excitement, the fact that it comes from a Highsmith novel is sure to ignite the interest of film fans everywhere. Highsmith books have been the inspiration for more than a few heavy hitters in adaptation land, including Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train," the time Matt Damon starred as a creepy chameleon-like criminal in "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and the unforgettable Todd Haynes romantic drama, "Carol." All this goes to show that "Deep Water" has magical source material behind it, and it's a travesty that we still can't watch this movie.

Allow me to add to the frustration of it all by pointing out that "Deep Water" comes from Adrian Lyne, and serves as the director's comeback to the erotic thriller genre after his work on 2002's "Unfaithful." Lyne is also the filmmaker behind "Fatal Attraction" and "Indecent Proposal," so the film couldn't be in better hands. Why then, must be tortured with its absence?