Jessica Rothe is back in the horror spotlight—and this time, she’s losing more than just time.

The Happy Death Day star leads the mind-bending sci-fi horror Affection, a psychological nightmare where memory, identity, and reality begin to collapse in on themselves. The film is set for a limited theatrical release on May 8, 2026 via Brainstorm Media.

In Affection, Rothe plays Ellie, a woman suffering from a mysterious condition that constantly resets her memory. Trapped in a looping existence, she wakes up beside a man who insists he’s her husband—but she has no recollection of him, the life he describes, or even the child who calls her “mom.”

As Ellie struggles to piece together fragments of her identity, the situation grows increasingly disturbing. Each reset brings her closer to a horrifying truth—but also closer to forgetting it all over again.

The newly released trailer leans heavily into psychological dread, introducing a reality that feels off from the start before spiraling into full-blown sci-fi horror. What begins as confusion quickly mutates into something far darker, with flashes of body horror and existential terror creeping in.

Joining Rothe is Joseph Cross (Big Little Lies) and Julianna Layne (Chicago P.D.), rounding out a cast caught in the film’s unraveling mystery.

The film marks the feature debut of writer/director BT Meza, who also produces alongside Bay Dariz, Austin Walk, and JP Ouellette.

Following its premiere at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Affection has already generated strong buzz for its blend of psychological horror and throwback body horror elements. Critics have pointed to its heavy existential themes and Rothe’s standout performance as key highlights.

Rothe continues to carve out a strong presence in genre filmmaking, coming off the SXSW premiere of Imposters and with more horror projects on the horizon.

If the trailer is any indication, Affection isn’t just playing with memory—it’s tearing it apart.