RLJE Films and Netflix acquired The Water Man, the directorial debut of actor David Oyelowo (Selma), which he also stars in along with Rosario Dawson (“Luke Cage”). In North America the film is expected to be released day-and-date in theaters and PVOD on May 7, 2021 and Netflix will release the film internationally later this year. The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and also opened this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival.

The Water Man also stars Lonnie Chavis (“This is Us”), Amiah Miller (War For the Planet of the Apes), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) and Maria Bello (“NCIS”).

In The Water Man, Gunner (Chavis) sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo (Miller), they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father (Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them and in the process will discover who his son really is.