SXSW unveils early 2026 slate featuring 49 World Premieres so far.
South by Southwest unveiled a major first wave of programming for the 2026 Film and TV Festival, setting the stage for a packed week of premieres, new projects, and immersive experiences in Austin.
Festival organizers confirmed the 33rd edition will run March 12-18, 2026, marking the first time the Film and TV Festival will open on a Thursday evening and conclude on a Wednesday. SXSW said the event will again draw fans, creators, press, and industry leaders, with a focus on inventive storytelling and boundary-pushing screen experiences.
Apple TV’s “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” to open the festival
SXSW’s Opening Night TV Premiere will be Apple TV’s “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” from Emmy-winning producer David E. Kelley. Based on the best-selling novel by Rufi Thorpe, the series is billed as a bold, heartwarming, comedic family drama.
Elle Fanning stars as Margo, a recent college dropout and aspiring writer forced to navigate life with a new baby, rising bills, and fewer ways to keep the lights on. The cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman as Margo’s parents, alongside Nicole Kidman, Thaddea Graham, Marcia Gay Harden, Greg Kinnear, Michael Angarano, Rico Nasty, and Lindsey Normington.
SXSW said the series will premiere at the festival ahead of its global Apple TV debut on April 15, 2026.
Claudette Godfrey, SXSW vice president of Film and TV, called the show a perfect fit for the festival’s opening-night slot and said the series captures the spirit SXSW aims to spotlight, pointing to its soundtrack, heart, and sharp edge.
Film, TV, shorts, and XR categories span the program
The 2026 film slate will screen across multiple sections, including Headliner; Narrative Feature Competition presented by Kickstarter; Documentary Feature Competition; Narrative Spotlight; Documentary Spotlight; Visions; Midnighter; Global presented by MUBI; 24 Beats Per Second; and Festival Favorite.
The TV program includes TV Premiere and the Independent TV Pilot Competition. The shorts program will feature six competitive categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animated Short, Midnight Short, Texas Short, and Music Video. SXSW’s XR programming will include XR Experience Competition, XR Spotlight, and XR Special Event programming. All categories will be eligible for section-specific Audience Awards.
Thus far, SXSW’s 2026 lineup includes 58 features, including 49 world premieres, three North American premieres, three U.S. premieres, and two Texas premieres. The festival also lists 52 short films and 20 music videos. The TV program includes nine projects, with three TV premieres and six independent TV pilots. The XR slate totals 29 projects across competition, spotlight, and special events.
Headliners include Boots Riley, “Ready or Not 2,” and more
The first wave includes major Headliner titles such as Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters,” a crime caper centered on a crew of professional shoplifters targeting a ruthless fashion figure. The film’s cast includes Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, and Demi Moore.
Also set for SXSW are BenDavid Grabinski’s “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice,” an R-rated action-comedy involving gangsters, a love triangle, and a time machine, and Jorma Taccone’s “Over Your Dead Body,” about a couple whose “reconnect” getaway turns deadly.
The Headliner roster also includes “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,” which follows Grace after surviving the Le Domas attack, and “They Will Kill You,” a horror-action-comedy featuring a woman fighting to survive a cult’s nightmarish trap.
Competition and spotlight sections stack emerging voices and big casts
SXSW’s Narrative Feature Competition includes titles such as “Brian,” “Edie Arnold is a Loser,” “Mallory’s Ghost,” “Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film,” “Seahorse,” “Sender,” “The Snake,” and “Wishful Thinking.”
The Documentary Feature Competition includes “The Ascent,” “The Last Critic,” “The Life We Leave,” “My NDA,” “Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero,” “Stormbound,” “Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story,” and “#WhileBlack.”
Narrative Spotlight adds more star-driven premieres, including Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon’s “Family Movie,” Meredith Alloway’s “Forbidden Fruits,” and “Power Ballad,” from John Carney, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.
More titles coming in mid-February
Godfrey said the first round represents the mix SXSW audiences expect, from bold indies and studio events to documentaries, series, international titles, and immersive XR work. SXSW said the remainder of the 2026 Film and TV Festival lineup will be announced in mid-February.
For now, SXSW’s early reveal signals another Austin takeover built on premieres, discovery, and the kind of offbeat, high-energy storytelling that keeps the festival a marquee stop on the entertainment calendar.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
