Jennifer Lawrence has joined the cast of an upcoming sci-fi thriller directed by Zach Cregger. The film titled The Flood is an original story produced by New Line Cinema and will be released by Warner Bros. on August 11 2028. Lawrence is set to headline the project.
The Flood was written by Cregger and is based on his original idea. Plot details are being kept secret for now. TheWrap reported that Lawrence will be at the center of Cregger’s original science-fiction story.
The film reunites Cregger with New Line Cinema after the studio released his 2025 horror hit Weapons.
Weapons earned about $270 million at the worldwide box office. It grossed more than $151 million in North America and about $118.5 million internationally. The success helped strengthen Cregger’s relationship with Warner Bros. and New Line.
Cregger praised his experience working with the New Line team on Weapons. He said he could not be happier to work with the companies again and expressed excitement about Lawrence joining the project. Cregger described Lawrence as a unique performer and said he was eager to see her take on the role.
Warner Bros. executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy expressed their enthusiasm for continuing to work with Cregger. They called Lawrence one of the most gifted and compelling actors working today. They also said they were excited to reunite with Cregger and the producing teams behind the film.
Amblin Entertainment is producing The Flood alongside Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment. The project was previously developed under Amblin’s deal with Netflix before plans for that version stalled over the question of a theatrical release.
Cregger has offered a few clues about what audiences can expect from The Flood even though he has not revealed the story. In a September interview with TheWrap he said the movie has his most unusual narrative structure yet. He also described it as science fiction with moments of horror rather than a traditional horror movie.
Cregger said The Flood may be his most disturbing film even though its main purpose is not to scare audiences. He described the movie as more adult and more complicated than some of his previous work. He also said its structure feels new and challenging to him.
The filmmaker is coming off another successful genre release with his 2026 adaptation of Resident Evil. The movie opened to about $60 million domestically and $108.3 million worldwide during its first weekend. That opening surpassed the domestic debut of Weapons.
Lawrence’s casting brings a new level of attention to the project as fans await more details.
Lawrence won the Academy Award for best actress for Silver Linings Playbook and has remained one of Hollywood’s most recognizable performers. Her involvement gives Cregger a major star for an original film that is not based on an established franchise.
The Flood is scheduled to arrive shortly before another New Line project connected to Cregger. The Weapons prequel Gladys is currently scheduled for September 8 2028. Cregger is writing that project with Zach Shields.
The August 11 release date had already been announced by Warner Bros. during CinemaCon in April 2026. Lawrence’s casting now gives the project its first announced lead as preparations for the film continue.
The production brings together Cregger with New Line as well as Amblin and Vertigo for another large-scale theatrical project. More casting announcements and story details are expected as The Flood moves closer to its 2028 release.