Above the Below, Three Astronauts Whose Return Capsule Sank into the Sea

Above the Below is a sci-fi survival thriller about three astronauts trapped in a sinking ocean capsule after a disastrous return to Earth. Idris Elba and Martin Owen co-direct the film, which is sche

The three astronauts in 《Above the Below》 suffer a major hull-damage accident during atmospheric reentry. Even after barely reaching Earth, the rescue is not over. The capsule sinks deep into the sea, and communication with the surface is cut off. The first official trailer puts this premise front and center: returning from space immediately turns into an escape from the deep sea.

The tension in this work grows less in the vastness of space than inside the cramped capsule. With limited oxygen, the three face a choice over who will reach the surface and who will remain below. The structure of a survival drama that begins after enduring a disaster connects spaceflight and maritime distress into a single pressure cooker.

Idris Elba stars as Jackson, while Caitlin FitzGerald and Hero Fiennes Tiffin play Brooks and Rose, respectively. Elba also co-directs with Martin Owen, with Future Artists Entertainment producing and Lionsgate distributing.

The U.S. theatrical release is scheduled for December 4, 2026. The film begins with a spacecraft reentry accident, but its central stage gradually becomes the sinking capsule and the deep sea where oxygen is running out.