Acclaimed Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund is adding a new scene to his airplane satire “The Entertainment System Is Down.” Actor Nicholas Braun stars in this addition. Östlund is also launching MyList, his new film recommendation platform in Sweden.
The new scene shoots in Amsterdam. Principal production happened in Budapest, where a retired Boeing 747 was rebuilt inside a studio. The 76-day shoot wrapped in April 2025.
A24 acquired distribution after competitive bidding in 2024. The film stars Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst. The cast also includes Daniel Brühl, Samantha Morton, Tobias Menzies, and Connor Swindells. Braun joins for this new scene.
The movie follows a long-haul flight where entertainment systems fail. Passengers face profound boredom. Östlund drew inspiration from a University of Virginia study. People struggle to spend 6-15 minutes alone with their thoughts.
Östlund plans a provocative real-time scene. A young boy asks to borrow his brother’s iPad. The wait lasts five minutes.
“When the audience realizes this is real-time, many will be very frustrated. I want to create history.” — Ruben Östlund
The director wants to cause the most walkouts in Cannes history. He says the film is more challenging than violent content.
Östlund skipped Cannes 2026 for extra editing time. The film now targets a 2027 debut. It could compete for his third Palme d’Or, after wins for “The Square” and “Triangle of Sadness.”
International distributors secured rights across multiple territories. Lionsgate handles UK-Ireland. SF Studios manages Nordic release for autumn 2026.
