Lionsgate has released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming British thriller Wasteman, which is being hailed by critics as "gripping" and "brilliant".
Directed by Cal McMau, the film stars David Jonsson as a convict named Taylor whose chance at early prison release is threatened when his "ruthlessly violent" new cellmate Dee, played by Tom Blyth, enters the picture.
The synopsis reads: "After years in prison, in which time his son has grown up without him, Taylor’s parole is approaching. It’s bad timing, then, that new cellmate Dee ropes Taylor into violent inmate rivalries, endangering his fresh start."
Described as an "uncompromisingly brutal British thriller" that delivers "an intense and claustrophobic portrait of a merciless prison", the film also stars Alex Hassell and Corin Silva.
Penned by Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran, Wasteman received its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It received its UK premiere this week at the BFI London Film Festival ahead of its release in UK cinemas on 20 February, 2026.
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Per the new trailer, tension builds after Dee joins Taylor in prison and Taylor tells his new cellmate: "You're going to get me into trouble, man."
As the trailer shows, the violence appears to escalate as Taylor is pulled into a dangerous alliance with Dee, with Taylor saying: "I don't want to get involved in all this."
Following its premiere, critics have praised the film, noting its director and lead stars, calling their performances "remarkable".
The Upcoming called the film "an immersive journey", adding that "Wasteman escalates from gritty prison drama to pulse-pounding suspense, powered by its remarkable co-leads firing on all cylinders".
Their review continued: "McMau proves that a movie doesn’t need to tell an entirely new story to be unforgettable – its tense atmosphere and driven execution make every moment gripping."
Meanwhile, InSession Film praised McMau's feature debut, writing: "That relentless pursuit of the thrill doesn’t always pan out, especially in ambitious first features, but Wasteman feels like the exception to most rules, as if breaking them on principal runs in its blood.
"More films should be willing to take such harrowing risks, but few will result in achievements as bold and brilliant as this. Perhaps they’d be best not to try."
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
