Honey, Don't! Release Date, Trailer Breakdown, Where to Watch and more

American neo-noir dark comedy, Honey! Don’t, which releases on August 22, is all set to serve some major detective skills this season. Directed by Ethan Coen and written by the duo of Ethan along with his wife Tricia Cooke, this film serves as the second installment in their ‘’lesbian B-movie trilogy,’ after Drive Away Dolls, starring Margaret Qualley as Jamie.

In the upcoming Ethan Coen film, she again will be seen on-screen as a lesbian protagonist, playing Honey O’Donahue, a small-town private investigator in Bakersfield. Honey O’Donahue has been seen tangled in the mysterious death of a woman in town and is now suspicious that her reason for death is related to the shady church leader, Chris Evans (Reverend Drew Devlin). 

The synopsis of the film reads:

‘’Honey Don't! is a dark comedy about Honey O’Donahue, a small-town private investigator, who delves into a series of strange deaths tied to a mysterious church.’’

Since Qualley has worked with the duo (Ethan and Tricia) in the film Drive Away Dolls, where she played a southern womanizer, Jamie, and this time a smart PI in Bakersfield, she shared her thoughts about the couple, saying to Deadline,

‘’Unlike anything else I’ve ever known. They respect and love each other so much. I love the world that they’re living in.”

While reflecting on her experience working with them in an interview with IndieWire, she said,

“I just love Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke so damn much and love being on their set.” 

Release date of Honey! Don’t 

The film is going to be released theatrically on August 22, 2025, by Focus Features in the US and internationally by Universal Pictures. The film premiered on May 24, 2025, at the Midnight Screenings section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

On Rotten Tomatoes, 44% of 25 critics gave the film a positive review. A streaming platform for Honey! Don't has not been announced yet.

Meet the cast of Honey! Don’t

• Margaret Qualley plays Honey O’Donahue: She is PI in Bakersfield, determined to uncover the murderer, takes on the case with her sharp instincts and undeniable on-screen charisma. 
• Aubrey Plaza plays MG Falcone: She plays the role of a cop who will team up with Honey to investigate the case. 
• Chris Evans plays Reverend Drew: He is the cult leader of the church and is on the hit list of the investigators.
• Charlie Day plays Marty Metakawich: He is another star member of the crew, who plays the role of a private detective in Honey! Don’t.

Trailer Breakdown of Honey! Don’t

The trailer opens with Honey striding in, her heels click-clacking, as she sets out to track down the killer, while serving some killer looks of her own. She visits the site where a woman named Mia Noatne supposedly met with an accident (as per the cops), but Honey isn’t convinced that it was merely an accident. ‘’She got stabbed and stuffed in the car, ‘’ said Marty, and here’s when the actual plot begins.

She discovers some signs of cult activity around the murder scene, and she has always been suspicious of the church’s motives and the activities they’re involved in.

Honey is now on her way with all the questions in her mind, whether Mia was in any trouble. Did she owe someone any money? Or was she afraid of something that cops couldn’t help her with? There’s plenty of sharp, satirical banter as Honey and the Reverend go back and forth over the case.

‘’I see a need and I fill it, says the church cult, and Honey, with her sharp wit, responded, ‘’You see a need and you exploit it.’’ 

Well, the plot will eventually unfold, and Honey will soon find the culprit as the movie will be out on August 22, 2025.