Over the last decade, author Ruth Ware has consistently delivered a new thriller nearly every year, weaving intricate tales reminiscent of Agatha Christie that center around complex and intriguing female protagonists. Given that Ware’s popular novels appear tailor-made for film and television, it’s surprising it has taken this long for a cinematic adaptation of one of her works.
The first adaptation to hit the screen is The Woman in Cabin 10, featuring Keira Knightley and inspired by Ware’s 2016 book of the same title. While this Netflix film is set to be released later this fall, it isn’t the only adaptation on the way: New Line Cinema holds the rights to In a Dark, Dark Wood, Entertainment One has the television rights for The Lying Game, and Universal International Studios is working on a TV adaptation of Zero Days.
The Woman in Cabin 10 makes for an excellent choice as Ware’s inaugural film adaptation, capturing the essence of what renders her stories so irresistible to readers (and, as Netflix surely hopes, to viewers as well). Additionally, there’s something inherently appealing about wealthy individuals behaving badly on a yacht, a tried-and-true formula.
According to Netflix, the official synopsis of the film reads: “While aboard a luxury yacht for a travel assignment, journalist Lo (portrayed by Knightley) witnesses a passenger being thrown overboard in the dead of night, only to be informed that it never happened, as every passenger and crew member is accounted for. With no one believing her, she persists in her quest for the truth, even at the cost of her own safety.”
Ware added in her statement, “At its core, the film tells the story of a woman who perceives something amiss, reports it honestly, and is dismissed due to her identity. Many can relate to that experience, and I believe we all seek some form of vindication, just like Lo.”
The initial trailer offers a glimpse into Lo’s distress: she witnesses a body going overboard, only to be told by nearly everyone around her that she’s losing her mind. Just a little advice: never suggest that a woman is imagining things—especially not a woman journalist.
The film also features performances by Guy Pearce, David Ajala, Hannah Waddingham, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, among others, including Art Malik, Kaya Scodelario, David Morrissey, Daniel Ings, Gitte Witt, Christopher Rygh, Pippa Bennett-Warner, John MacMillan, Paul Kaye, Amanda Collin, and Lisa Loven Kongsli. Simon Stone directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse.
Viewers can catch the film when it premieres on Netflix on Friday, October 10. Check out the first trailer for The Woman in Cabin 10 below.
