The excitement of Sundance is in the collective sense of discovery. An overwhelming majority of films in the lineup are World Premieres awaiting their first audiences, who may even help shape the title’s acquisition trajectory. Huge critical responses and word of mouth can spread like wildfire, potentially skyrocketing an acquisition deal. As of the first few days of the festival, no major deals have been made, but there are certainly some titles to keep an eye on with negotiations firmly underway.
In the last diary entry, I posed the question of “what’s all the buzz about Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan’s new film?” The buzz is in fact about Josephine, directed by Beth de Araújo, which introduces eight-year-old Mason Reeves alongside the Hollywood duo. Reviews have already bolted the film to an 86 Metascore, raising questions about who may win a potential bidding war for its distribution rights. A streamer like Netflix seems unlikely, given the explicit nature of some graphic material in the film. The story follows Reeves as the titular Josephine, an eight-year old girl who is the sole witness to a public sexual assault.
Even more top of mind in the sales category is Olivia Wilde’s The Invite, her third directorial feature, which stars her alongside Seth Rogen, Ed Norton, and Penélope Cruz in a single-location sex comedy. Reports detail an all-out bidding war with A24, NEON, and Focus Features in pole position, while Netflix’s deep wallet is also in pursuit. It’s important to note that the outcome of deals of this nature weighs significantly on whether a title will receive a theatrical release.
Deadline also reported that NEON is in exclusive talks to acquire Leviticus, which premiered in the Midnight section and is directed by Adrian Chiarella.
Acquisition talk aside, another peculiar quality of this year’s lineup is the recurring presence of some faces in multiple projects. Olivia Wilde is not only premiering the aforementioned The Invite, but also stars in Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, the other buzzy sex comedy of the festival. Charli XCX is also a multi-project presence with her concert mockumentary The Moment, as well as making guest appearances in I Want Your Sex and The Gallerist. The oeuvre of Charli and Olivia is leading the way on some of the hottest discussed Sundance 2026 titles.
Speaking of hot, in the bubble of a festival, it’s common for recurring themes to reveal themselves as we collectively dig deeper into the lineup. The first obvious theme discovered at Sundance 2026 is the explicit horniness found across multiple lineup sections. The aforementioned sex comedies fit well here: The Invite and I Want Your Sex. Josephine Decker’s Chasing Summer, penned by and starring Iliza Shlesinger, features the comedian/actor reigniting old and new romances and opens to the sound of sexual moaning (not the only example of this cold open at the fest). Wicker features Olivia Colman being all kinds of freaky. Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!’s title says enough and also showcases an instructor/student sexual dynamic.
On the documentary front, Public Access tells all on the New York City pornography scene that made its way to television screens across the country, while in the “Next” section, Night Nurseexplores psychosexual obsession, and Zi triggers sparks between the three characters wandering around Hong Kong.
There are too many emotionally devastating titles to list, but if a movie at Sundance 2026 isn’t uber-horny, it’s probably uber-emotional. The lineup, top to bottom, portrays tragic circumstances that span fiction and nonfiction. I’ve teared up myself in more than a couple of showings, and I haven’t been alone in that regard.
As we continue, Sundance has always expressed a commitment to environmental causes, which raises questions about its responsibilities to address ecological crises in the home state of Utah and (soon to be) Colorado. The intertwining of movies and politics amidst national crises.
Update Courtesy of Danny Jarabek
Feature Image Courtesy of Sundance Institute; ‘Josephine Q&A’