When review embargoes usually lift
- Tentpole film: Often 24 to 48 hours before the first public screening. Sometimes right after the world premiere.
- Indie or festival film: Frequently tied to the festival premiere itself.
- Streaming series: Often 24 hours before drop, sometimes at drop for spoiler-heavy shows.
- AAA games: Commonly 24 to 48 hours before launch. Multiplayer reviews sometimes lift later so critics can test live servers.
What to include in the email
- The embargo line, in every timezone your critics live in.
- Whether the embargo covers spoilers, score, both, or just publication.
- Screener link and password, or code delivery info.
- Runtime, rating, director and lead cast (or platform, dev, publisher for games).
- Press contact and screening dates.
Spoiler embargoes are separate
Many studios use a two-stage embargo: reactions can go up on date A, full reviews on date B. Say this clearly. If you only say “embargoed until” a critic will assume it covers everything.
The template line
Embargoed until: • 09:00 PT, Wednesday 21 October 2026 • 12:00 ET, Wednesday 21 October 2026 • 17:00 BST, Wednesday 21 October 2026 • 18:00 CEST, Wednesday 21 October 2026 Spoiler-free reactions welcome now.
Build this block for any date with the converter.