12 Films to Look Out for at Sundance 2026

January 6, 2026 / Kevin harson /

Following in the footsteps of many an onscreen May-December romance (The Idea of You, Babygirl, Marty Supreme), Mysterious Skin’s Gregg Araki serves up a darkly sexy riff on the sub-genre. In it, Licorice Pizza’s Cooper Hoffman is an eager-to-please young man who lands a dream job with a provocative artist (Olivia Wilde) who enlists him as her sexual muse, drawing him into a world of sadomasochistic sex, depravity, knotty power dynamics, obsession, betrayal, and murder. Considering former Vogue sex columnist Karley Sciortino is a co-writer, and the supporting cast includes Charli XCX, Daveed Diggs, and Chase Sui Wonders, this should be a playful, no-holds-barred romp.

The Gallerist

Photo: MRC II Distribution Company L.P., Courtesy of Sundance Institute

In her first major big-screen role since May December, an icy-blonde Natalie Portman is Polina Polinski, an ambitious gallerist gearing up for her Art Basel premiere, in this acerbic art world satire from Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs). When Polina hosts an early look for an art influencer (Zach Galifianakis), he is decidedly unimpressed—until one piece catches his eye: a corpse, which Polina is then determined to sell. Honestly, it doesn’t get more Sundance than that.

Joining the pair is Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Sterling K. Brown, Daniel Brühl, and… Charli XCX (yes, the pop star is making her Sundance debut with a whopping three projects).