Samuel Goldwyn Films has officially acquired the domestic distribution rights to The Girl in the River, an upcoming indie crime thriller starring Tiffany Haddish, Devon Sawa, Maggie Grace, and Ralph Macchio. The distributor has slated the feature for a simultaneous theatrical and digital platform release on September 4, 2026.
Written and directed by filmmaker Brando Benetton, the narrative follows a seasoned criminologist on the verge of retirement, played by Sawa, and a young forensic psychologist, played by Grace, who are dispatched to a remote Mississippi town. Their investigation centers on the brutal murder of a young girl and the sudden disappearance of her twin sister, with the investigators navigating a complex web of local political authority and conflicting leads to locate the missing girl before time expires.
The feature marks the full-length narrative directorial debut for Benetton, who previously directed the short film Nightfire. The project is produced by Joe Lemmon for Black Diamond Films alongside Andrew Stevens under Andrew Stevens Entertainment. The executive producer lineup includes Hicham Benkirane, Alan B. Bursteen, Dawn Bursteen, Rick Moore, Alessandro Penazzi, Jeff Roschman, and Sam Stevens.
Haddish’s recent feature credits include Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Haunted Mansion, Easter Sunday, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Sawa recently starred in the television horror series Chucky, while Grace is recognized for her roles in the Taken and Twilight franchises. Macchio recently wrapped his reprised lead role in Netflix’s Cobra Kai and the feature Karate Kid: Legends.
The Girl in the River will debut in select theaters and across digital video-on-demand platforms on September 4.
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