The 2026 AFI Fest lineup is continuing to take shape as the American Film Institute earlier today announced another round of titles selected for the upcoming Los Angeles festival, combining several high-profile premieres with acclaimed films from the fall film festival circuit.
Joining the red carpet premieres section are Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky,” starring Anthony Ippolito, and Brad Bird’s new animated Netflix film “Ray Gunn,” featuring the voices of Sam Rockwell, Tom Waits, and Scarlett Johansson. Rockwell also stars opposite John Malkovich in Martin McDonagh’s Venice award-winning “Wild Horse Nine,” which will screen as part of AFI Fest’s special screenings section.
The section will also feature Ava DuVernay’s documentary “14th,” Diego Luna’s “Ashes,” Tony Gilroy’s “Behemoth!,” starring Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist; Pedro Almodóvar’s “Bitter Christmas,” and Florian Zeller’s “Bunker,” starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. Also joining the lineup are Arie and Chuko Esiri’s “Clarissa,” starring David Oyelowo, Sophie Okonedo, and Ayo Edebiri, Simon Stone’s “Elsinore,” featuring Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson in a buzzed-about performance, Beth de Araújo’s stunning “Josephine,” starring Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, and Mason Reeves, and Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love,” led by a never-been-better Rami Malek, Rebecca Hall, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Tom Sturridge, and Maisy Stella. Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s sleeper indie “Mouse,” starring Sophie Okonedo and Katherine Mallen Kupferer, will screen alongside Leah Nelson’s animated Alzheimer’s drama “Tangles” starring Seth Rogen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Pamela Adlon, Sarah Silverman, Beanie Feldstein, Abbi Jacobson, Wanda Sykes, Adam Shapiro, Bowen Yang, Phil Rosenthal, and Samira Wiley.
“AFI Fest is where the world tells stories in the beating heart of Hollywood,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “This year, we are proud to celebrate 40 years of bringing artists and audiences together to be inspired in a powerful sense of community.”
The 40th edition of AFI Fest will take place at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatres from October 21st–25tth. The festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Travis Knight’s animated film “Wildwood.” Previously announced selections include Peter Berg’s Netflix film “The Mosquito Bowl,” starring Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Ray Nicholson, and Berg, as well as Sian Heder’s “Being Heumann.”
Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“Project Hail Mary“) will serve as this year’s guest artistic directors. The complete festival lineup will be announced on September 29th, while passes are currently available for purchase.
Which of these films are you most excited to see at this year’s AFI Fest? Are you looking to attend the film festival this year? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
