Nicolas Winding Refn is returning to theaters on July 24 with Her Private Hell, distributed by Neon. It is his first feature since The Neon Demon, which came out in 2016. The gap spans nearly ten years.
That time away was shaped by a medical crisis. Refn has spoken publicly about undergoing heart surgery during which he was declared clinically dead. At the Cannes Film Festival press conference in May, he told the audience: "I was dead for half an hour, and I was brought back to life with electricity, like Frankenstein." He has credited that experience with returning him to feature filmmaking.
Her Private Hell is a sci-fi horror film set in a futuristic city overtaken by a mysterious mist. The cast includes Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Kristine Froseth, Havana Rose Liu, Diego Calva, Hidetoshi Nishijima, and Dougray Scott. The score was composed by Pino Donaggio, known for his work with Brian De Palma, who recorded it at age 84.
The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, where it received a standing ovation. Critical reception has been mixed. Neon opens it in select theaters on July 24. AMC Theatres has announced Q&A screenings with Refn and the cast around the opening weekend.
