Sundance Institute Unveils 2026 Lineup Featuring Charli XCX and Olivia Wilde Projects

The Sundance Film Festival announces its 2026 lineup with 90 feature films and seven episodic projects, marking the final edition in Park City, Utah, before relocation to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. Comedies dominate the selections, including directorial debuts and ensemble casts led by Hollywood stars. This programming shift emphasizes emerging voices amid 36 films from first-time directors and 14 supported by the Sundance Institute during development.

The festival spans January 22 to February 1, 2026, in Park City and Salt Lake City, with online screenings available from January 29 to February 1. U.S. Dramatic Competition includes 10 titles, such as ‘The Invite,’ directed by and starring Olivia Wilde alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. World Cinema Dramatic Competition features 10 entries, highlighted by ‘The Moment,’ directed by Aidan Zamiri with Charli XCX and Alexander Skarsgård.

Documentary competitions showcase 10 U.S. and 11 world titles addressing global issues. ‘Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,’ directed by Alex Gibney, explores the 2022 stabbing incident through Rushdie’s perspective. ‘The Brittney Griner Story’ details the WNBA star’s 2022 detention in Russia, while ‘Give Me the Ball!’ profiles tennis icon Billie Jean King’s fight for gender equality in sports.

Premier es section spotlights high-profile narratives like ‘Josephine,’ directed by Beth de Araújo with Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan as estranged siblings reuniting after a family death. ‘Carousel,’ helmed by Rachel Lambert, stars Chris Pine and Jenny Slate in a story of grief and reinvention following a terminal diagnosis. ‘Wicker’ assembles Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, and Elizabeth Debicki in a tale of marital discord on vacation.

Midnight sidebar delivers six genre-bending films, including ‘I Want Your Sex,’ Gregg Araki’s comedy with Daveed Diggs, Cooper Hoffman, and Chase Sui Wonders navigating queer romance in 1980s New York. Episodic programming introduces seven projects, such as the six-episode ‘Bait’ and five-episode ‘The Screener,’ alongside pilot showcases in fiction and nonfiction categories.

Spotlight selections feature two titles: ‘Antiheroine,’ a documentary on Courtney Love’s career and controversies, and ‘Troublemaker,’ Antoine Fuqua’s examination of Nelson Mandela’s early activism. Family Matinee offers two animated shorts for young audiences, and Special Screenings include one event focused on AI ethics in filmmaking.

Notable debuts include ‘The Musical,’ Giselle Bonilla’s feature with Rob Lowe as a fading star mentoring a prodigy, and ‘Run Amok,’ NB Mager’s thriller starring Patrick Wilson and Molly Ringwald. ‘Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!’ brings Rinko Kikuchi in a dramedy about cultural identity and dance. Additional standouts encompass ‘The Gallerist’ with Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega, and ‘Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass’ featuring Jon Hamm.

The lineup reflects Sundance’s commitment to diverse storytelling, with 47% of U.S. films directed by women or nonbinary filmmakers and 39% by directors of color. Production on many entries wrapped in late 2025, with distribution deals anticipated during the event. This edition coincides with the institute’s 40th anniversary, underscoring its role in launching careers like those of Wilde and Araki in prior years.

Documentaries extend to environmental and social justice themes, such as ‘The Lake,’ probing nuclear contamination in Indigenous communities, and ‘American Doctor,’ following a physician aiding Gaza patients. ‘Barbara Forever’ revives the legacy of lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer through restored works. Sports narratives include ‘Soul Patrol,’ chronicling a Black Vietnam War unit’s untold heroism.

Comedic elements infuse dramatic entries, as in ‘Union County’ with Will Poulter and Noah Centineo tackling rural inheritance disputes. ‘The Weight,’ starring Ethan Hawke, blends humor with existential family reconciliation. Festival organizers selected entries from over 14,000 submissions, prioritizing narratives that challenge conventional Hollywood tropes.

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