‘DreamQuil’ Replaces Elizabeth Banks With a Robot in Sci-Fi Thriller
- Horror News
Oliver Mitchell- 0
- 3 minutes read
Elizabeth Banks is about to discover the cost of checking out from everyday life in DreamQuil, Alex Prager’s feature directing debut, which blends psychological thriller and science fiction with a distinctly modern fear of being replaced. Signature Entertainment will release the film on UK digital platforms from 4 December.
Set in the near future, DreamQuil imagines a world where poor air quality has pushed much of daily life into virtual spaces. Banks stars as Carol, a woman increasingly overwhelmed by her marriage, family and sense of confinement, who signs up for an experimental wellness retreat in the hope of resetting her life.
The treatment appears to offer an escape, but Carol returns home to find that her absence has been filled far more efficiently than expected. Her family has been living with “Carol 2”, an artificial replacement designed to take over her role, and the promise of self-improvement quickly gives way to something considerably more disturbing.
Banks plays both Carol and her robotic double, with John C. Reilly starring as her husband Gary. The cast also includes Sofia Boutella, Juliette Lewis, Kathryn Newton and Lamorne Morris.
Prager co-wrote the screenplay with Vanessa Prager and directs after establishing herself as a visual artist and filmmaker working across photography and short-form projects. DreamQuil marks her first feature-length film, with Lol Crawley serving as cinematographer and Ali Helnwein providing the score.
Production was delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike before filming began in Los Angeles in 2024. Republic Pictures acquired North American distribution rights ahead of production, while HanWay Films handled international sales.
DreamQuil made its world premiere at SXSW on 16 March 2026 before receiving a US theatrical release in October. Its UK digital release now gives audiences another chance to see Prager’s take on wellness culture, artificial companionship and the increasingly uneasy boundary between convenience and identity.
DreamQuil will be available on UK digital platforms from 4 December 2026 through Signature Entertainment. The UK trailer and a new clip are available to watch now.
DreamQuil trailer
