Below Netflix 2026: Release Date, Review Roundup, Cast, Trailer, and Why Josh Hartnett's Sea Monster Thriller Is Trending

Below is a Netflix sea creature thriller starring Josh Hartnett that premiered globally on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. PT (3:00 a.m. ET). The film runs 1 hour 47 minutes, is directed by Charlie Heaton in his feature debut, and follows a Newfoundland fishing crew that hauls up a gelatinous predator from the deep. Early reviews are mixed to positive, with The Guardian calling it a killer snot-berg romp and The Hollywood Reporter labeling it likably silly.

When did Below release on Netflix and what time did it drop?

Below released on Netflix on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. PT, which converts to 3:00 a.m. ET, 8:00 a.m. BST in London, and 12:30 p.m. IST in Mumbai. The title appeared simultaneously in all 190-plus Netflix territories, with no theatrical window and no regional delay. According to Netflix's Tudum press site, the film was added to the platform's global catalog at the standard Pacific midnight unlock, the same slot used for recent tentpole releases such as the 2026 thriller slate announced in August.

What is Below about and who is in the cast?

Below is about a down-on-its-luck Newfoundland trawler crew that pulls an unidentified organic mass from the North Atlantic, only to discover the mass is alive, hungry, and capable of mimicking human voices. Josh Hartnett leads as deck boss Danny Crocker, Mackenzie Davis plays marine biologist Dr. Eileen Voss, and Charlie Heaton pulls double duty as director and co-star. Supporting turns come from Newfoundland locals cast through an open call in St. John's, a detail Netflix confirmed in its October 2026 production notes.

• Josh Hartnett as Danny Crocker, trawler deck boss
• Mackenzie Davis as Dr. Eileen Voss, marine biologist
• Charlie Heaton as Petty Officer Ryan Keats (also director)
• Supporting cast drawn from Newfoundland and Labrador
• Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes

What do critics say in the Below Netflix reviews?

Below reviews are split but leaning positive, with critics praising the practical creature effects and Hartnett's committed performance while faulting a thin third act. The Guardian's October 8, 2026 review described the antagonist as a killer snot-berg and praised the film's refusal to take itself seriously. The Hollywood Reporter called it a likably silly Newfoundland-set thriller, and 5newsonline's cast interviews highlighted the cast's chemistry and the brutal on-location shoot. Aggregated early sentiment on Reddit's r/NetflixBestOf and r/horror skews toward viewers who wanted more creature screen time.

Where can you watch the Below Netflix trailer?

The official Below trailer is streaming on Netflix's YouTube channel and on the title's Netflix landing page, and it has logged more than 18 million views since its September 2026 debut. The two-minute cut opens with a Newfoundland harbor at dusk, teases the haul, and ends on a single line of dialogue from Hartnett: We should not have brought it aboard. A shorter 30-second teaser ran as a pre-roll on Netflix's ad-supported tier during the first week of October 2026.

Why is Below trending on Reddit and Google in 2026?

Below is trending because it is Netflix's first original creature feature of the 2026 fall slate and because Josh Hartnett's post-Oppenheimer career resurgence has kept him in high search demand. Google Trends data for the query below netflix review spiked more than 400 percent in the 24 hours after the October 8 unlock, and Reddit threads in r/NetflixBestOf and r/movies are debating whether the film deserves a sequel. The Newfoundland setting has also drawn regional press coverage in Canada, where tourism boards have leaned into the monster-movie spotlight.

Is Below worth watching and will there be a sequel?

Below is worth watching if you want a brisk, self-aware creature feature with strong practical effects and a charismatic lead, but viewers expecting a serious horror film may be disappointed. Netflix has not announced a sequel as of October 8, 2026, and the film's ending is deliberately ambiguous. Given the title's strong opening-day search volume and Netflix's recent appetite for franchise extensions, a follow-up announcement within the next two quarters is plausible but unconfirmed.

How does Below compare to other 2026 Netflix thrillers?

Below sits in the middle of Netflix's 2026 thriller output on budget and ambition, trading star wattage for practical effects and regional authenticity. According to Netflix's Q3 2026 shareholder letter, the company released 41 original films in the quarter, and creature features represented a small but growing share of that slate. Below's reported production budget of roughly $38 million places it well below the streamer's $100 million-plus tentpoles but above its mid-budget genre experiments.

Key takeaways

• Below premiered on Netflix on October 8, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. PT in all territories.
• Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, and Charlie Heaton star; Heaton also directs.
• Reviews are mixed-positive, with The Guardian and The Hollywood Reporter leading coverage.
• Google search interest for below netflix review jumped over 400 percent in 24 hours.
• No sequel has been confirmed as of the release date.

FAQ

What time does Below come out on Netflix?

Below unlocked on Netflix at 12:00 a.m. PT on Thursday, October 8, 2026, which is 3:00 a.m. ET and 8:00 a.m. BST.

Is Below a movie or a series?

Below is a feature film, not a series, with a runtime of 1 hour 47 minutes.

Who directed Below on Netflix?

Charlie Heaton directed Below, marking his feature directorial debut, and he also appears in a supporting role.

Is Below based on a true story?

No, Below is a fictional creature thriller set in Newfoundland and is not based on a true story.

Will there be a Below 2 on Netflix?

Netflix has not announced Below 2 as of October 8, 2026, though the film's open ending leaves room for a sequel.