On August 5, 2025, StudioCanal unveiled the first poster for Cold Storage, a darkly comedic sci-fi thriller set to hit theaters in 2026, directed by Jonny Campbell and written by David Koepp, based on his 2019 novel of the same name. Starring Liam Neeson, Joe Keery, and Georgina Campbell, the film promises a high-stakes battle against a mutating, highly contagious fungus that escapes a government facility, threatening global chaos. The poster, emblazoned with the tagline “If it spreads, you’re dead,” features Neeson, Keery, and Campbell in a tense, shadowy tableau, hinting at the film’s blend of horror, action, and humor. This article provides a detailed analysis of Cold Storage, exploring its plot, cast, creative team, thematic elements, production details, public reception, and its place within the sci-fi thriller genre, drawing on insights from recent reports and social media buzz.

Plot Overview: A Race Against Extinction

Cold Storage centers on a catastrophic outbreak sparked by a parasitic fungus, sealed decades ago in a military facility’s lowest sublevel. In the present day, the facility has been partially repurposed as a self-storage company, with the sealed sublevel forgotten until rising temperatures cause the microorganism to escape. Described as “highly infectious” and “constantly mutating,” the fungus unleashes “brain-controlling, body-bursting terrors” capable of extinction-level destruction. The story follows two young employees, Teacake (Joe Keery) and Naomi (Georgina Campbell), whose routine night shift becomes a nightmare as the fungus spreads. They team up with Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson), a grizzled retired bioterror operative, in a desperate race to contain the threat before it annihilates humanity.

The plot, adapted from Koepp’s novel, blends visceral horror with dark comedy, drawing parallels to films like 28 Days Later and Zombieland. The fungus, reminiscent of the Cordyceps parasite in The Last of Us, manipulates its hosts, creating a chilling mix of biological horror and psychological tension. The narrative’s setting—a repurposed military base—adds a layer of irony, highlighting humanity’s hubris in underestimating nature’s resilience. The “wildest night shift ever” promises a fast-paced, contained timeline, amplifying the stakes as Teacake, Naomi, and Quinn navigate infected colleagues and a ticking clock.

The Cast: A Blend of Veteran and Rising Stars

The ensemble cast of Cold Storage is a major draw, combining seasoned actors with emerging talents. Liam Neeson, known for action roles in Taken and The Grey, plays Robert Quinn, the bioterror operative whose expertise is humanity’s last hope. Neeson’s recent comedic turn in The Naked Gun (2025) suggests he’ll bring a nuanced performance, balancing gravitas with the film’s darkly humorous tone. His ability to shift from gritty action to deadpan comedy makes him ideal for a role that requires both intensity and wit.

Joe Keery, best known as Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, stars as Teacake, a self-storage employee thrust into a heroic role. Keery’s recent roles in Fargo and Free Guy showcase his versatility, blending charm with vulnerability. His character’s everyman quality contrasts with Neeson’s hardened operative, setting up a dynamic partnership. Georgina Campbell, acclaimed for her role as Tess in Barbarian (2022), plays Naomi, the other employee caught in the outbreak. Campbell’s ability to convey resilience under pressure, seen in Black Mirror and Bird Box: Barcelona, positions her as a standout in high-stakes horror.

The supporting cast includes Sosie Bacon as Dr. Hero Martins, a scientist likely involved in the fungus’s containment or study. Bacon, who starred in Smile (2022), brings experience with psychological horror, suggesting her character may grapple with the outbreak’s moral and scientific implications. Vanessa Redgrave (Mission: Impossible) and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), both screen legends, add depth, though their roles remain undisclosed. Additional actors like Ellora Torchia, Rob Collins, and Justin Salinger round out the ensemble, promising a diverse group of characters facing the fungal threat.

Creative Team: A Powerhouse of Genre Expertise

Director Jonny Campbell, known for Westworld and Doctor Who, brings a knack for blending speculative fiction with human drama. Campbell praised the script’s “mischievously witty tone” and “comic absurdity,” suggesting a visually dynamic approach that balances epic scale with intimate character moments. His experience with high-concept narratives ensures Cold Storage will deliver both spectacle and emotional resonance.

Screenwriter David Koepp, adapting his own 2019 novel, is a Hollywood veteran whose credits include Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, and Spider-Man. Koepp’s ability to craft blockbuster thrills with scientific grounding—seen in Jurassic Park’s genetic engineering—makes him ideal for Cold Storage’s premise of a mutating microorganism. His novel, described as “scary, funny, exhilarating, surprising, and riotously entertaining,” sets the tone for the film’s genre-blending approach. Koepp also produces alongside Gavin Polone (Zombieland), whose experience with horror-comedy ensures the film’s tonal balance.

The film’s R rating for “violent content, gore, and language” signals a commitment to unflinching horror, with Koepp’s script likely emphasizing the fungus’s gruesome effects. Filming in Italy and Morocco, completed in 2023, suggests a visually striking setting, possibly incorporating Mediterranean or desert landscapes to contrast the claustrophobic storage facility.

The First Poster: A Visual Tease of Chaos

The first poster, released by StudioCanal on August 5, 2025, sets a chilling tone. Featuring Neeson, Keery, and Campbell against a cracked, ominous backdrop, it emphasizes the fungal threat with the tagline “If it spreads, you’re dead.” The imagery—a torchlit crack in a wall, as seen in a first-look image—suggests a breach in containment, evoking dread and urgency. The poster’s muted color palette, with shades of green and gray, hints at the fungus’s organic menace, while the trio’s tense expressions convey their desperate mission. Social media reactions on X praised the poster’s intensity, with @DiscussingFilm noting its promise of a “comedic thriller” and @BDisgusting highlighting the “nasty fungal infection.”

The poster’s design aligns with the film’s R rating, teasing gore and suspense while maintaining an air of mystery. Unlike typical sci-fi posters that showcase apocalyptic imagery, Cold Storage opts for subtlety, focusing on the characters and the unseen threat. This choice reflects the film’s contained setting, prioritizing psychological tension over sprawling chaos. The lack of a specific release date—slated for 2026—builds anticipation, with Samuel Goldwyn Films securing North American distribution in April 2025.

Thematic Elements: Nature, Hubris, and Survival

Cold Storage explores themes of humanity’s fraught relationship with nature, the consequences of scientific overreach, and the resilience of unlikely heroes. The fungus, a force of uncontrollable evolution, mirrors real-world fears of pandemics and bioterrorism, amplified by its brain-controlling and body-bursting effects. Koepp’s novel draws inspiration from pathogens like Cordyceps, which manipulates insects, grounding the sci-fi premise in plausible biology. This lends the film a timely relevance, echoing post-COVID anxieties about infectious diseases and government cover-ups.

The repurposed military facility symbolizes bureaucratic negligence, with the sale of its upper levels to a storage company reflecting a disregard for past dangers. The characters—two low-level employees and a retired operative—embody the underdog spirit, forced to confront a threat far beyond their pay grade. The film’s comedic elements, described as “darkly comedic” and “riotously entertaining,” suggest a satirical take on institutional failure, with humor likely arising from the absurdity of a night shift gone catastrophically wrong.

Gender and power dynamics may also play a role, given Campbell’s and Bacon’s prominence as strong female characters. Naomi and Dr. Hero Martins could challenge stereotypes in sci-fi, where women often take secondary roles. Neeson’s Quinn, a weathered veteran, may grapple with his past failures, adding emotional depth to the action-driven plot. These themes position Cold Storage as both a thrilling escape and a commentary on human fragility in the face of nature’s unpredictability.

Production and Industry Context

Cold Storage began development in May 2022, with StudioCanal announcing Neeson and Keery as leads and fully financing the project. Georgina Campbell joined in October 2022, followed by Sosie Bacon and Lesley Manville in March 2023, when filming commenced in Italy and Morocco. Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired North American rights in April 2025, marking a significant step for a film that blends indie sensibilities with blockbuster appeal. The R rating, confirmed in July 2025, underscores its commitment to mature themes and graphic horror.

The film’s production reflects a growing trend of adapting high-concept novels into genre-blending films. Koepp’s involvement as both writer and producer ensures fidelity to his novel’s vision, while Polone’s track record with Zombieland suggests a knack for balancing humor and horror. Campbell’s directorial experience with serialized storytelling (Westworld) indicates a focus on character-driven suspense, potentially elevating Cold Storage above standard outbreak narratives.

The choice of a 2026 theatrical release, rather than streaming, signals confidence in the film’s box office potential. This aligns with the success of recent sci-fi thrillers like Nope (2022) and A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), which capitalized on theatrical exclusivity. However, competition from other 2025 releases, such as Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 and In the Grey, may challenge its market share, especially as a limited release.

Public and Critical Reception

The first poster has generated significant buzz, particularly on X, where fans of Neeson, Keery, and Campbell expressed excitement. @Collider praised the “thrilling” premise, while @hollywood_com highlighted its “darkly comedic” appeal, suggesting broad audience interest. Horror fans, via @BDisgusting, are eager for the promised gore, comparing it to The Last of Us and 28 Days Later. Some skepticism exists, with one X user (@SandymoonDCS) questioning whether the comedic tone might undermine the thriller elements, but overall sentiment is positive, with 90% of Movie Insider poll respondents planning to see it.

Critics are cautiously optimistic, citing Koepp’s track record and the cast’s star power. Variety noted the film’s potential to blend “blockbuster thrills with indie horror sensibilities,” while Digital Spy emphasized Campbell’s and Keery’s chemistry in the first-look image. However, some worry about Neeson’s typecasting in action roles, with a CinemaBlend article suggesting he may struggle to differentiate Quinn from his Taken persona. The absence of a trailer, as noted by Movie Insider, has fueled anticipation, with fans eager for a glimpse of the fungus’s effects.

Place in the Sci-Fi Thriller Genre

Cold Storage fits within the outbreak subgenre, alongside films like Contagion (2011) and Outbreak (1995), but its comedic tone and R-rated gore set it apart. The fungus’s brain-controlling nature recalls The Last of Us and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), while its contained setting evokes Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982). The blend of horror, sci-fi, and comedy aligns with Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead, suggesting a self-aware approach that could appeal to both genre fans and casual viewers.

The film’s focus on a mutating microorganism taps into contemporary fears of pandemics and bioterrorism, making it a timely addition to the genre. Its emphasis on unlikely heroes—low-level employees rather than scientists or soldiers—offers a fresh perspective, distinguishing it from traditional outbreak narratives where experts dominate. Koepp’s scientific grounding, combined with Campbell’s visual storytelling, positions Cold Storage to balance spectacle with character-driven drama, potentially redefining the subgenre for a post-COVID audience.

Conclusion

The first poster for Cold Storage has ignited excitement for a sci-fi thriller that promises a thrilling mix of horror, action, and dark comedy. With Liam Neeson, Joe Keery, and Georgina Campbell leading a stellar cast, and Jonny Campbell directing David Koepp’s adaptation of his own novel, the film is poised to deliver a unique take on the outbreak narrative. The poster’s ominous imagery and tagline hint at a high-stakes battle against a relentless fungal threat, while the R rating ensures unflinching gore and intensity. Themes of human hubris, survival, and resilience resonate with contemporary anxieties, making Cold Storage a timely and compelling addition to the sci-fi genre. As anticipation builds for its 2026 release, the film’s blend of star power, genre expertise, and bold storytelling positions it as a potential standout, ready to captivate audiences with its “wildest night shift ever.”