Said to be dramatic, steamy and suspenseful, Deep Water is an erotic thriller based on the 1957 novel of the same name written by Patricia Highsmith. With on-set romance and a story of violence, this twisted tale of psychological warfare is sure to send chills up your spine. The script was co-written by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson and Zach Helm (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) and is to be directed by Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction), who at 80 years of age has returned to take on the film following a 20 year hiatus.

RELATED: Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas Erotic Thriller 'Deep Water' Headed to Hulu

What Is Deep Water About?

Deep Water is said to follow the same addictive storyline of the book, which is set in the small town of Little Wesley. The story follows the loveless marriage of Vic and Melinda Van Allen, an affluent husband and wife who find that their relationship is struggling. To avoid a messy divorce Vic agrees to allow Melinda to have affairs, as long as she doesn’t leave the family. Vic eventually becomes jealous and decides to try and win his wife back and attempt to rekindle the spark through dangerous psychological warfare. Vic then becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance of Melinda’s lovers as the couple play mind games with deadly results. A tale of psychosis in the idyllic facade that is American suburban life, where things seem perfect on the outside while actually are quite broken and twisted on the inside. Layered with subtlety and depth, the emotional tale is one of author Gillian Flynn’s favorite novels. Flynn wrote the book Gone Girl that was adapted into the 2014 thriller film of the same name that starred Affleck as another brooding bad-boy.

Who Is Patricia Highsmith?

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via Harper & Brothers

Author of the novel that inspired the upcoming film, Highsmith is an award winning thriller and crime writer who penned such titles as Strangers On A Train, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and The Price Of Salt, all of which went on to be adapted into films. Fearing ostracization, Highsman used the pseudonym “Claire Morgan'' for her novel The Price Of Salt because the tale of two women who fall in love is a story rooted in some of the author's own life experiences. Highsmith did not want to be known as a “lesbian-book writer” and face the discrimination that came with being a member of the LGBTQ+ community in the 1940s and 50s. Apart from her twenty-two novels Highsmith wrote a number of comics, essays and short stories with many of her pieces being adapted into film, television, theater and radio. Patricia Highsmith passed away in 1995 at the age of 74, bequeathing her three million dollar estate to the Yaddo artists community, whose mission is to nurture the creative process.

Who Is Adrian Lyne?

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Image via Paramount Pictures

The director started his film career with commercials in the 1970s, going on to gain much of his fame in the 1980s with films such as Foxes starring Jodie Foster, the 1983 classic Flashdance, the sexually explicit 9 ½ Weeks and the erotic psychological thriller Fatal Attraction. In the ‘90s Lyne went on to direct the psychological horror film Jacob's Ladder and the American drama Indecent Proposal, starring Robert Redford, Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore. Lyne began his 20 year break following the 2002 film Unfaithful, an erotic thriller following a couple whose marriage has gone awry when the wife has an affair with a complete stranger. Fans of Lyne’s earlier films are excited to see his work on the silver screen once again, and given his track record of erotic thrillers and psychological horror Lyne is a perfect fit to direct this twisted and steamy tale.

Watch the Deep Water Trailer:

Check out the official trailer of Deep Water below:

Who Will The Cast Be?

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Image via Warner Bros.

Ben Affleck and Ana De Armas (Blade Runner 2049) will star as Vic and Melinda Van Allen. Alongside them the cast includes Tony Award winning actor Tracy Letts, Rachel Blanchard (Clueless sitcom), Milton Howery Jr (Get Out), Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), Dash Mihok and Kristen Connoly (The Cabin In The Woods).

Audiences will wait to see if Affleck brings the brooding noir that we saw in Gone Girl to this sexy, psychological thriller. In an interview with Vogue Spain as translated by People, Affleck spoke of his co-star, Ana De Armas “infinite talent”, stating “The first time we read the scenes together, it became pretty clear she was going to do something exceptional with a very complex role… Her character is the engine of the story and requires her to move between tragedy and irony or between realism and the most absurd comedy.”

Is There Any Behind The Scenes Information?

Filming began on November 4th 2019 in New Orleans. Several months later Affleck and De Armas were in a very public relationship, going on vacations together and even house hunting. The couple dated for nearly a year after meeting on the Deep Water set. The couple eventually broke up due to the Cuban born actress not wanting to move her life to Los Angeles where Ben and his children reside. Though they are no longer together, audiences will be able to see the real life passion and romance between Affleck and De Armas caught on camera while they portray their complex and sultry roles.

When Will Deep Water Be Released?

Originally scheduled to be released in November of 2020, the film was delayed twice. With steamy twists and turns and star-crossed stars in the cast, hopes are that this erotic thriller will be worth the wait. The film is now being released on March 18 exclusively on Hulu.

Where Will You Be Able To Watch Deep Water?

The film will stream on Hulu starting on March 18, 2022.

Where Can You Watch Other Highsmith Inspired Thrillers?rooney-mara-carol-social-featured

If you want to sink deep into some of Highsmith’s other film adapted stories while you wait for Deep Water then this easy to follow list will help you on your way.

Stranger On A Train - The 1951 version, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is available to purchase for $3.99 on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Google Play. This film went on to inspire the 1987 comedy Throw Momma From The Train starring Billy Crystal and Danny Devito.

The Talented Mr. Ripley - This psychological thriller features a star studded cast, with Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwenyth Paltrow to name a few. The film is included with subscriptions to Hulu, Amazon Prime and Showtime. It is also available to purchase for $2.99 on Youtube and Google Play.

Carol (The Price Of Salt) - The two lovers are portrayed by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in this 2015 adaptation of the provocative novel. The film is available to purchase for $3.99 on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

The Cry Of The Owl - Starring Julia Stiles the 2009 version is included with a subscription to Amazon Prime and is available to purchase for $2.99 on AppleTV, Youtube and Google Play.

The Two Faces Of January - This 2014 thriller stars Viggo Mortensen alongside Oscar Isaac and Kirsten Dunst. Included with a subscription to Amazon Prime, the film is also available to purchase for $2.99 on GooglePlay and $3.99 on Youtube.

A Kind Of Murder (The Blunderer) - Starring Patrick Wilson, this 2016 thriller is free to watch on Youtube as well as included with a Hulu subscription. Additionally the film is available to purchase for $2.99 on Amazon Prime, Google Play and Apple TV.