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Passenger Set for May 22 Release as Studio Moves Date Up

Paramount advanced the opening to avoid heavy weekend competition.

Overview

  • The film, which opens Friday, May 22, 2026, was moved up from May 29 to reduce box-office competition.
  • Passenger follows a van-life couple who witness a deadly crash and then find themselves pursued by a demonic presence that follows them wherever they go.
  • André Øvredal directs a cast led by Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo, with Joseph Lopez playing the figure known as 'The Passenger.'
  • Paramount has rolled out a trailer and a 30-second clip released May 20 to build buzz, and the film carries an R rating for strong violent content, some gore, and language.
  • Early critical reaction includes a negative review from SlashFilm that described the movie as jump-scare heavy with clumsy mythology, a response that could temper word-of-mouth despite the director and producers' horror track records.