Image Credit: Getty Images
Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Netflix has officially moved forward deadline) US rights to Romain Gavras’ highly anticipated satirical eco-thriller Sacrifice. Boasting one of the most exciting casts of the year, including Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy and pop sensation Charli XCX, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming film.
Directed by acclaimed French-Greek filmmaker Romain Gavras, best known among Netflix subscribers for his groundbreaking 2022 action epic Athena, Sacrifice is shaping up to be one of the wildest streaming releases of the year. Gavras co-wrote the screenplay with Will Arbery, and crafted a story that has been described as a “modern Joan of Arc” story, taking aim at fake celebrity activism, money obsession, and crackpot doomsday beliefs.
The film comes from production heavyweights iconoclasts, Film4 and Heretic, with CAA Media Finance brokering the domestic rights deal with Netflix.
Here’s everything you need to know about Sacrifice before it arrives on Netflix in the US.
What is the plot of sacrifice?
With a runtime of 103 minutes, Sacrifice is a full-tilt, energetic satire that blends high-stakes crime thriller elements with dark comedy.
The story unfolds at a glamorous, A-list environmental festival in Greece that feels more like a Hollywood vanity party than a serious summit to save the Earth. Among the attendees is Mike Tyler, an unknown action-movie star hoping to fix his existential crisis and reestablish his brand by giving a rousing speech on climate change. Also present is Bracken, a billionaire who is gathering support for a highly dubious deep sea mining venture.
The grand event is violently hijacked when Joan, the zealous leader of the Doomsday eco-cult, storms the event with her disciples. Inspired by a prophecy, Joan and her eco-terrorist henchmen are convinced that a giant volcano on the coast is about to erupt and the world is about to end. Their only solution? Making a suitably famous, high-profile sacrifice to appease the Earth.
If you were looking forward to awards season darling, you might want to temper your expectations. Despite huge star power and an interesting premise, Sacrifice hasn’t exactly been a hit with critics following its festival run. The film is currently at a certain stage.Rotten” 37% on Rotten Tomatoes.
While some reviewers praised Gavras’ excellent visual style and bold, “Eat the Rich” satirical swing-along showing firstcalling It is “wild, and furious yet highly entertaining” – the general consensus being that the thriller quickly loses its way. Several critics have pointed out that the film starts off strong but devolves into a “tonally disjointed mess” that “mistakes noise for meaning”, eventually leading to a shocking finale.
Who is in the team of sacrifice?
If you’re looking for star power, Sacrifice offers a lot of that. The film features a stellar, diverse cast of A-listers and rising stars:
- Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit, Furiosa) as Joan, the fundamentalist leader of the Doomsday eco-cult.
- Chris Evans (The Gray Man, Knives Out) as Mike Tyler, a successful but completely unknown action star looking for a comeback.
- Vincent Castle (black Swan) as Bracken, a shady billionaire who is promoting deep sea mining.
- salma hayek pinault (black Mirror) as Gloria Bracken/Mrs. Bracken.
- john malkovich (space force) as Joan’s father.
- Sam Richardson (i think you should leave) as Oliver.
Rounding out the incredibly spirited ensembles are Ambika Mod (one day), pop icon charli xcx (making another major acting appearance after Erupakja), and Swedish rapper Jonatan “Yung Lean” Leandro.
Who is behind the film?
Romain Gavras Takes over as director, producer and co-writer. He shares writing duties Will Arbury (Succession).
The impressive team behind the scenes includes cinematography matias bouccard (who collaborated with Gavras on Athena), edited by benjamin weilby production design Arnaud Rothand by costume design Hannah Edwards. The original score is composed by GENER8ION.
The feature is produced by Robert Wallach, Jacob Perlin, Romain Gavras, Gregory Jankiewicz, Claudia Smiza-Rostworowska and Giorgos Karnavas. Sacrifice is a co-production between the United Kingdom and Greece, officially produced under Iconoclast, Mid March Media, Heretic and Film4.
Production took place throughout the autumn of 2024, with the cast and crew shooting on location in Greece and Bulgaria between early October and early December.
When will Sacrifice release on Netflix?
Since the film has already made its mark World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Under the special presentation banner in September 2025, the film is all set to release. Netflix has not yet confirmed the exact streaming date, but looking at the current timeline, we expect it to arrive on the platform soon.
Are you excited to watch Sacrifice when it arrives on Netflix in the US? Let us know in the comments below!
