The Woman in Cabin 10 is a 2025 psychological thriller film directed by Simon Stone, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse. It is based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware. The film stars Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce, Art Malik, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings and Hannah Waddingham. The Woman in Cabin 10 was released by Netflix on 10 October 2025. == Plot == Investigative journalist Laura "Lo" Blacklock is recovering from a traumatic episode when she takes on an assignment aboard the luxury superyacht Aurora Borealis for a high-profile cruise. The ship is owned by Richard Bullmer and his wife Anne Bullmer / Lyngstad. On her first night aboard, Lo is headed towards a dinner with the other guests on board. However, upon exiting her room and almost running into her ex-boyfriend Ben, who is a photographer on board working for Richard and Anne, Lo quickly enters a nearby room to hide — Cabin 10. In Cabin 10, Lo encounters a new guest she does not recognize. The woman is young and has bright blonde hair. She quickly puts on a hoodie. Lo apologizes and exits the room to go to dinner. Later she hears a splash and what sounds like a scream, and from her balcony she believes she sees someone being pushed overboard. She runs to Cabin 10 and sees blood along the balcony. She alerts crew and security — but to her disbelief, Cabin 10 is empty, and records show no one ever checked into it. After sending everybody back to bed, Richard locks the door to Cabin 10, and orders that nobody enters it until they reach port. As the voyage continues, Lo's credibility is questioned by passengers and crew alike. Ben is among those torn between believing her and doubting her. Clues begin to emerge: a smeared handrail, a missing guest photo, the woman's personal effects, and conversations hinting at deception. Lo grows convinced that something sinister is happening behind the scenes. Lo uncovers a chilling scheme: Anne was terminally ill, and Richard plotted to stage her death at sea and replace her with Carrie, a doppelgänger, thus assuming control of Anne's fortune and philanthropic empire. When Lo comes dangerously close to exposing the scheme, Richard locks her in her cabin. But with Carrie's help, Lo escapes and reveals the conspiracy. In the final act, Richard takes Carrie hostage at knifepoint and attempts to flee via lifeboat. A confrontation ensues in which Lo kills Richard with an hatchet. Lo survives, returns to shore, and publishes her exposé, while Carrie returns home to her daughter. == Cast == == Production == An adaptation of the 2016 novel of the same name by Ruth Ware, CBS initially acquired the film rights in 2017 and began developing a film with the Gotham Group with Hillary Seitz attached to write the screenplay. In May 2024, it was announced Netflix now owned the rights, with Simon Stone set to direct the film and Keira Knightley set to star. That September, Guy Pearce, Hannah Waddingham, Kaya Scodelario and Gugu Mbatha-Raw were among several new additions announced to the cast. Principal photography took place on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England, in September 2024. Filming took place on the superyacht Savannah. == Release == The Woman in Cabin 10 was released on Netflix on October 10, 2025. == Reception == On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 27% of 37 critics' reviews are positive. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 41 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter writes that the film is "blandly glossy" but says it is a "capably acted adaptation." Courtney Howard of Variety stated "Similar to its book-to-film predecessors "The Girl on the Train" and "The Woman in the Window," "The Woman in Cabin 10" also features a gaslit woman who's forced to solve a mystery on her own after witnessing a suspicious incident. And much like the aforementioned beach-reads-turned-Hollywood-thrillers, director-co-writer Simon Stone's adaptation for Netflix also suffers from major missteps by the mid-point, causing any tension to dissipate long before the already-brief run time is up. Still, the sleek production design, symphonic score and performances from a killer ensemble act as a life preserver, making the shenanigans at sea a little less choppy." Lisa Kennedy of The New York Times added "The thriller "The Woman in Cabin 10" — based on the novel by Ruth Ware and directed by Simon Stone — isn't a simple whodunit. There's a great deal afoot once Blacklock, a well-regarded but burned-out reporter, embarks on a feature about an invitation-only cruise to Norway." == References == == External links == The Woman in Cabin 10 on Netflix The Woman in Cabin 10 at IMDb