From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishin the canin the caninformal a film that is in the can is complete and ready to be shown → can
Examples from the Corpus
in the can• But I can't alter a film that's - what's the expression - already in the can.• The next episode of Doctor Who is in the can.• Man in the can reading Giants in the Earth.• By lunchtime we had two complete runs of the play in the can.• Thus the propellant remains in the can, can not damage the environment and is unavailable for abuse.• But her boy, who already has one success in the can, would settle for a shiny new toy. 