The 2026 edition of the SXSW Film & Television Festival begins this Thursday, March 12th. Once again, Austin plays host to some of the most exciting wannabe blockbusters, indie sensations, and cutting-edge documentaries angling for cinematic success in the rest of the year. While this year’s festival may feature fewer marquee names than in the past, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Giovanni Lago will be joining me in Austin this year for the first time, and we’re both looking forward to a wide swath of offerings. Here are some of our most anticipated films from this year’s festival…
Brian
With a cast that includes Randall Park, Natalie Morales, Edi Patterson, and William H. Macy supporting “The Long Walk” breakout Ben Wang, Will Ropp’s coming-of-age comedy is poised to be one of the festival’s breakout hits. In search of his new “thing” after a drama club audition ends in another embarrassing public meltdown, the incredibly anxious Brian (Wang) decides to run for student government to spend more time with his crush: His English teacher, Brooke (Morales). But when an effortlessly cool new kid takes Brian under his wing, could his campaign actually take off? Ropp says that he’s drawn to “comedy that sits right on the edge of discomfort,” which is the perfect place for a coming-of-age story. Between that and a leading role for the ultra-talented Wang, I have no doubt this one will hit all the right notes.
Corrida dos Bichos (Beast Race) 
Brazil has all but won over the hearts and attention of the world of international cinema with the recent successes of “I’m Still Here” and “The Secret Agent,” and it’s about damn time. Now it’s time for someone to let loose, and Ernesto Solis and Rodrigo Pesavento have heard the call. Their new film “Beast Race” is a balls-to-the-wall fight for survival in a dystopian future. What makes this film intriguing is Fernando Meirelles’ co-directorship, which brings a necessary edge to this reality game of death, turning it into a warning of a future we’re more than wary of. Let the race begin!
Hokum
Damian McCarthy’s “Oddity” was one of the great horror films of 2024, a masterpiece of escalating tension that ends with one of the best scares of the decade. For his next feature, “Hokum,” he has Neon’s backing and a genuine star, Adam Scott, playing the lead. The film’s teaser promises another descent into the occult, featuring freaky, fractured, demonic images while keeping the plot details mostly under wraps. Even the festival’s synopsis is blissfully short: Scott’s novelist becomes obsessed with tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite at the remote inn where he’s come to scatter his parents’ ashes, leading him to confront the darkest parts of his past. I don’t want to know any more, because I’m already seated, ready to be scared out of my wits.
I Love Boosters
Boots Riley’s “Sorry To Bother You” was one of the most bracing, visionary directorial debuts of the last decade. While his follow-up film has taken an unconscionably long time to come to fruition, he’s assembled quite the dream cast for it: Naomi Ackie, Don Cheadle, Eiza González, Demi Moore, Taylour Paige, Keke Palmer, Will Poulter, and LaKeith Stanfield star in this story of a crew of professional shoplifters going after a fashion maven. Riley has always been outspoken about the political side of his art, and “I Love Boosters” seems to be an up-to-the-minute eat-the-rich satire. Even though we’ve been seeing diminishing returns on these kinds of films, given the bright, candy-colored, pop-art-inspired look of the film’s trailer and Riley’s wicked sense of humor, I’m willing to bet this year’s festival opener will have some real bite.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice
Two gangsters fighting over the woman they love, trying to survive the deadliest night of their lives… oh, and there’s a time machine. “Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice” might have one of the wildest loglines of any film playing at the festival, and that could play into its favor, shaping up BenDavid Grabinksi’s latest feature to be one of the buzziest titles this year. Vince Vaughn, Eiza González, and James Marsden are a wonderful trio of actors whose chemistry should lead to a charming, gut-busting outing that delivers laughs and thrills throughout.
Power Ballad
What do you mean there’s a new John Carney dramedy about two people bonded by the power of music at SXSW?! Yeah, that’s the exact kind of feel-good film that could be the necessary palate cleanser at the festival among a lineup filled with horror films and other genre mashup-heavy selections. I can’t say I’d ever imagined the pairing of Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas until “Power Ballad” was announced, yet it could just work. At the very least, Carney will be able to conjure up some musical magic between Rudd and Jonas to jam out plenty of good vibes for anyone who tunes in. After “Begin Again” and “Sing Street,” who am I to doubt the talents of Carney, who very much found a niche that he always delivers in?
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come
I was in the bag for this sequel to Radio Silence’s 2019 hit “Ready Or Not” the second it was announced. Each subsequent casting announcement has had me even more excited. Not only is Samara Weaving reprising her role as the terrorized newlywed from the first film (still in her bloody wedding dress), but she’s joined by Kathryn Newton as her sister to up the stakes. And among the Mr. LeBail-worshipping families hunting them to rise above the rest is Shawn Hatosy, Nestor Carbonnel, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and David Cronenberg himself, with Elijah Wood as ringmaster. Based on the film’s trailer, both the horror and comedic elements of the first film are fully intact here, and when the original “Ready or Not” is so entertaining, that may be all this film needs.
The Saviors
Adam Scott is one of many talents having a busy SXSW this year as “The Saviors” marks the other half of the Scott horror-verse we’re all eager to see. It’s one of the first performances Scott has lined up after his Emmy-nominated work in the second season of “Severance,” and he’s opposite none other than the one and only Danielle Deadwyler. Who doesn’t want to see a divorce story set to strange occurrences happening in their rented out guest house, all played by a star-studded cast with the likes of Ron Perlman, Kate Berlant, and Daveed Diggs? Horror and romance, a perfect meshing of genres that makes for an entertaining romp that will hopefully have audiences recoiling in their seats. The presence of Scott and Deadwyler alone makes “The Saviors” one of the hottest titles of the entire festival.
Serling
Rod Serling, the creator of “The Twilight Zone,” is one of the most enduring figures in American pop culture. While his Cold War-era parables feel like ur-texts of America’s cultural history, his own story is less familiar to most of us. This new documentary from director Jonah Tulis tells Serling’s story in his own words, using never-before-heard recordings and personal dictations to elucidate the man’s experiences and philosophy of life. Serling’s wisdom certainly feels like it could help those of us in despair over the current state of America, and if we’re lucky, it might just show us a way forward to a better world.
They Will Kill You
If you recently watched “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” and told yourself, “I wish we had more Zazie Beetz on the big screen.” Well, does SXSW have the movie for you! Kirill Sokolov’s “They Will Kill You“ is a blood-soaked action comedy that will surely take the energy to another level at the festival. It helps when Beetz gets a more than worthy opportunity to take center stage among an ensemble filled with heavyweights like Myha’la and Patricia Arquette. The trailer, which exudes some of the most hell-yeah energy, is ripe for a lively premiere at SXSW, where a film like this can more than likely get the crowd roaring, especially when inventive kills are at the heart of it.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s SXSW Film & Television Festival? Anything you’d specifically like to hear our take on when we attend? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our X account.
