Paramount has set a Feb. 23 release date for science-fiction thriller “Annihilation,” starring Natalie Portman.

The studio is placing the movie in the slot vacated by Legendary-Universal’s “Pacific Rim Uprising.”

The film, based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel, is directed by Alex Garland from his own script. The story follows a biologist, played by Portman, who embarks on a four-person expedition into a territory cut off from civilization while searching for clues about her husband’s disappearance. While there, she must deal with a contamination, vanishing colleagues, a deadly animal, and a creature known as the Crawler.

Oscar Isaac plays Portman’s husband. Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh portray the other members of the search party. Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich are the producers.

Garland received an Academy Award nomination in the best original screenplay category for 2014’s “Ex Machina.”

“Annihilation” will face competition from CBS Films’ horror entry “Winchester,” starring Helen Mirren as gun heiress Sarah Winchester dealing with a massive haunted house.

This comes after Universal and Legendary moved the sci-fi sequel “Pacific Rim Uprising” back a month to March 23. It was the fourth date given to the title, which was originally scheduled to open in 2017.