For producer J.J. Abrams and director David Robert Mitchell, assembling the cast of “The End of Oak Street” was nothing short of a dream.
Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery star as a 1980s suburban family whose ordinary life takes a terrifying turn after their neighborhood is transported to a mysterious world filled with prehistoric dangers.
“The cast is phenomenal,” says Abrams.
“I’ve known Anne a little bit for a long time and have wanted to work with her forever. Ewan as well. So, this was a bit of a dream to get a chance to work with them both. The kids are wonderful as is the supporting cast.”
Abrams knows a thing or two about memorable ensembles. The filmmaker previously directed entries in the Star Warsand Star Trek franchises and created the hit television series Lost.
Watch the trailer here:
Anne Hathaway Takes Suspense to Another Level
Mitchell was equally thrilled when Hathaway and McGregor signed on to play the parents at the center of the story.
“I was so happy when I realized that both Anne and Ewan would be the husband and wife and the parents in this family,” shares Mitchell. “And the dynamic that they have, the chemistry that they have, the different shades that their personalities have were fantastic.”
While Hathaway is widely celebrated for her dramatic and comedic performances, Mitchell believes audiences will discover a different side of the Academy Award-winning actress in “The End of Oak Street.”
“Anne is just an amazing actress,” says the director. “I knew she’d be incredible if we were lucky enough for her to do it.”
The director was particularly impressed by Hathaway’s work during the film’s most frightening sequences.
“When we started to get to the suspense and danger and fear, she took it to another level, we all felt it, everyone watching. It was phenomenal, seeing her perform in that way.”
According to Mitchell, Hathaway brings remarkable emotional range to the role, moving naturally between strength, fear, pain, and determination.
“It’s believable. It’s real,” he says.
A Collaboration Nearly Eight Years in the Making
The admiration between Hathaway and Mitchell goes both ways.
After watching Mitchell’s critically acclaimed horror film “It Follows,” Hathaway asked to meet the filmmaker for lunch. During their conversation, Mitchell mentioned a future project he had in mind.
Nearly eight years passed before the screenplay for “The End of Oak Street” finally reached Hathaway.
She immediately connected with the story, setting in motion a collaboration that had been years in the making.
Ewan McGregor Brings Heart, Charm, and Courage
Mitchell also praised McGregor’s portrayal of Greg, a devoted husband and father trying to protect his family while confronting his own personal struggles.
“I was thrilled when Ewan agreed to play the role of Greg,” says Mitchell. “He brings a depth, a charm, a real love to this person who’s struggling about some elements of his life.”
McGregor’s warmth, Mitchell explains, helps viewers form an immediate connection with the Platt family.
“Ewan portrays that, and it’s really wonderful, and also this really caring husband, this dad… There’s a really loveable, wonderful quality that he has that really allows you entrance into the family and you really connect with them and care.”
Of course, playing Greg also required McGregor to take on plenty of demanding physical action.
“Fighting with the dinosaurs was always fun to do,” McGregor shares.
“Annie and I had some really long runs to do – over gardens, down streets, jumping fences, running over peoples’ front yards, careful not to put our ankle down a hole. But we had fun doing that.”
A Nostalgic Tribute to 1980s Family Thrillers
Beyond its creatures and large-scale action, Hathaway was drawn to the film’s nostalgic spirit.
“One of the things I love about this film is that it does remind me of those wonderful films from the ’80s, which were almost like family horror movies,” she shares.
These were suspenseful adventures that younger viewers could experience with their parents, offering just enough danger to make them feel brave and grown-up.
“Movies that were full of suspense, movies that you could watch with your parents, they weren’t too scary for you. You felt grown up and sophisticated and mature that you got to watch this movie where things that were scary were going on. I remember loving that feeling when I was a kid in the ’80s and the ’90s.”
That mix of family drama, suspense, humor, and spectacle is also what Abrams believes makes the movie ideal for the big screen.
“‘The End of Oak Street’ is a total thrill ride,” Abrams teases. “I’ve seen it with audiences. They scream and laugh and cry and cheer. It’s the sort of film that reminds you why you go to the movies.”
About “The End of Oak Street”
After a mysterious cosmic event tears Oak Street away from suburbia and transports the entire neighborhood to an unknown location, the Platt family discovers that survival depends on staying together.
As they explore their now-unrecognizable surroundings, the family must face extraordinary threats, including creatures that should have disappeared millions of years ago.
Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, “The End of Oak Street” stars Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery.
The film is produced by J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, Jon Cohen, David Robert Mitchell, Matt Jackson, and Tommy Harper. Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, Joanne Lee, and Leeann Stonebreaker serve as executive producers.
Mitchell’s creative team includes director of photography Michael Gioulakis, production designer Maya Shimoguchi, editor John Axelrad, composer Michael Giacchino, and costume designer Erin Benach.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Bad Robot production, a Jackson Pictures production, and a David Robert Mitchell film.
“The End of Oak Street” opens in Philippine cinemas and IMAX on August 12, 2026. It arrives in North American theaters and IMAX on August 14, 2026.
Get ready for dinosaurs to move in.
