‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ Had to Make a Major Change From the Book, Director Explains Why

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Be warned: the following contains spoilers for *The Woman in Cabin 10*. The new Netflix thriller *The Woman in Cabin 10* has quickly become popular with mystery fans. Based on the Ruth Ware novel of the same name, the movie will likely please those familiar with the book, even with some changes made for the screen. Director Simon Stone has discussed these alterations, explaining how they affect the story and the terrifying experiences of the main character, Lo Blacklock, during her time on a luxurious yacht.

In *The Woman in Cabin 10*, journalist Laura “Lo” Blacklock (played by Knightley) gets the chance to travel on a luxurious yacht with a wealthy couple and their circle of pretentious friends. During the first night, Lo hears disturbing sounds coming from the nearby Cabin 10 and is convinced someone has been thrown overboard. However, when she raises the alarm, she’s told Cabin 10 was empty, and the other passengers begin to think she’s imagining things.

The film’s director recently explained to *CinemaBlend* why he altered a significant element from the original book. In the source material, the character Lo experiences extreme sleep loss, which impacts her mental state and, because the story is told from her perspective, makes her an unreliable narrator. However, the director felt this trope had been overdone in other films – specifically, stories involving manipulation – and decided to make a change for the movie adaptation.

I wasn’t drawn to the fact that this genre often features narrators or main characters you can’t fully trust, and I didn’t think we could successfully explore that angle. I believed we had a better opportunity to focus on a story about conspiracy and the anger of battling corruption.

The story feels less engaging now because audiences have seen so many narratives about manipulation. Discovering whether the character is truthful or not doesn’t have the same impact. Instead, it’s more compelling to build a twist that’s genuinely surprising, and to make the audience root for the character – wanting to understand what happened so they can side with her, especially if she’s believable. This approach creates a more empowering and heroic storyline.

‘The Woman in Cabin 10’: A Hit or Miss for Netflix?


Netflix

As of today, reviews for the Netflix thriller *The Woman in Cabin 10* aren’t looking good. It currently has a 27% rating from critics and a 33% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Letterboxd users give it an average score of 2.6, indicating that both critics and viewers generally agree the film isn’t very well-received, adding to the number of disappointing movies on the platform.

Okay, so I’ve been digging around online to get a feel for what viewers are saying about *The Woman in Cabin 10*, and it’s…mixed, to say the least. I checked Reddit, and the reactions are all over the place. Some, like one user who went by “VoldemortsHorcrux,” actually enjoyed it, calling it a solid 7/10, a good, straightforward murder mystery that doesn’t overstay its welcome. They appreciated it as a decent Saturday night watch. But others were far less impressed. One commenter, “bronte26,” thought the whole thing was nonsensical and, frankly, a waste of the incredibly talented Hannah Waddingham – they felt she barely had any lines! They questioned the entire premise, especially the yacht trip, and admitted the movie actually *deterred* them from ever going on one. Despite the critical chatter, though, *The Woman in Cabin 10* is currently the number one movie on the streaming platform, which is…interesting. It seems audiences are willing to give it a chance, even if it’s not a perfect film.

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2025-10-13 15:32