In the Blink of an Eye (2026)
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12-month trend
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2025-09 to 2026-08 · Missing measurements appear as gaps.
Three separate storylines across prehistoric times, the 21st century, and the distant future intertwine to explore the shared experience of human life.
The story
The film weaves together three distinct narratives spanning vast stretches of time. In the prehistoric era, a family of Neanderthals navigates survival and tragedy while encountering a group of homo sapiens. In the 21st century, an American PhD student in anthropology navigates a burgeoning romance while facing a family crisis. In the distant future, a lone astronaut and her AI co-pilot embark on a desperate mission to find a new home for humanity as their own world ends. These three stories, though separated by millennia, explore the common threads of connection, loss, and the persistence of life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows three timelines. In 47,000 BC, a Neanderthal family survives tragedy and eventually lives in harmony with homo sapiens. In 2025, Claire, an anthropology student, navigates a long-distance relationship with Greg while caring for her dying mother; years later, their son David makes a breakthrough in extending human life. In the distant future, astronaut Coakley and her AI, Rosco, travel to Kepler-16b to save humanity. After a crisis forces Coakley to shut down Rosco, she eventually brings a new generation to life. The narrative is linked by a recurring motif: an acorn-shaped trinket passed through time. The film concludes with Coakley delivering a eulogy for a woman named V, reflecting on how human history is but a 'blink of an eye' compared to the universe.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 94
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Andrew Stanton
- Writers
- Colby Day · writer
- Cast and characters
- Kate McKinnon · Coakley; Rashida Jones · Claire Robertson; Daveed Diggs · Greg; Tanaya Beatty · Hera; Jorge Vargas · Thorn; Skywalker Hughes · Lark; Tatyana Rose Baptiste · Adult Lark; Andrea Bang · adult V; Yeji Kim · V (5 years old); Rhona Rees · the voice of Rosco
- Genres
- science fiction; drama
- Themes
- human connection; longevity; legacy; the passage of time
- Tone and mood
- ambitious; sentimental
- Premise and plot tags
- multigenerational; space exploration; anthropology
- Reception
- The film received negative reviews from critics, with some praising its ambition and visual texture while others criticized its lack of focus and sentimentality.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 37 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Alfred P. Sloan Prize · best depiction of science, technology, engineering, and math themes · won
- Production trivia
- The film was influenced by 2001: A Space Odyssey, Magnolia, and Interstellar.; The score was composed by Thomas Newman.; Principal photography took place in Vancouver.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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