17 SXSW movies you need to know about right now

South by Southwest 2026 kicks off today, launching a seven-day festival of tech, film, music, and much, much more. Looking through SXSW's massive catalog of screenings, sessions, and performances can be dizzying. So our Entertainment team has dedicatedly scoured the film lineup for the most promising films out of the festival.

Whether you're craving star-stuffed headliners, bonkers midnight movies, daring documentaries, or dazzling indie gems, we've got something for you.

Be sure to keep up with Mashable, as we'll have reviews, tech reports, interviews, and social media coverage of all things SXSW. So, let's begin with the 17 movies you need to know about right now.

I Love Boosters

Following the critical acclaim of Sorry to Bother You and I'm A Virgo, celebrated rapper/filmmaker Boots Riley returns with I Love Boosters, which is the Opening Night selection for SXSW.

What's a booster? Well, as the teaser lays out, it's "somebody that steal clothes from a store, sell it at discount prices." The boosters (Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige) think of themselves as fashion-forward philanthropists. But to one target, a wealthy designer played by The Substance's Demi Moore, they are "low-class urban bitches." The gauntlet has been thrown down, and we can't wait to see how this plays out.

Starring: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, I Love Boosters opens in theaters on May 22.

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

Does AI scare you? Inspire you? Either way, The AI Doc is required viewing.

Filmmaker Daniel Roher was on the verge of becoming a father for the first time when he became fixated on what the rise of AI could mean for his child's future. So, he asked. Sitting down with a wide array of AI critics and accelerationists for The AI Doc, Roher explores what the possibilities of AI could mean for the future of humanity. The answers range from a utopia to an apocalypse. So, how is the average human supposed to make sense of what lies ahead?

Through these interviews, as well as Roher's more personal arc of becoming a first-time parent, he guides audiences through his own journey in understanding AI. Thus, he provides a road map to aid audiences not only in understanding but also activism.

And to learn more about the film and AI, check out Focus Features' panel The AI Panel: Or What Being an Apocaloptimist Looks Like, which will be hosted by me, Mashable's Entertainment Editor.

Starring: Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, Emily M. Bender, Yoshua Bengio, Liv Boeree, Ajeya Cotra, Peter Diamandis, Randima Fernando, Timnit Gebru, Karen Hao, Yuval Noah Harari, David Evan Harris, Tristan Harris, Dan Hendrycks, Reid Hoffman, and Daniel Kokotajlo

How to watch: Following its Texas premiere at SXSW, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist opens in theaters on March 27. And look for more Mashable coverage out of SXSW.

Anima

Seeking an AI story that's less stressful? Look to director Brian Tetsuro Ivie's Anima. Sure, the setup sounds like a Black Mirror episode. But the vibes of this drama are much more poetic and peaceful, without losing the thought-provoking edge.

Alien: Earth's Sidney Chandler stars as Beck, an engineer who's good with computers but bad with people. Desperate to get a job at a company that claims to copy a person's consciousness into a computer (we've heard that sales pitch before!), she agrees to take an entry-level job driving an ultra-rich client to his final appointment. A road trip movie about two strangers finding a deeper connection, this is an AI story about the power and fragility of the human spirit. And it'll hit like a jolt to your system.

Starring: Sydney Chandler, Takehiro Hira, Marin Ireland, Lili Taylor, Maria Dizzia, Tom McCarthy, Emil Wakim, and Maximilian Lee Piazza

How to watch: Following its Texas premiere at SXSW, Anima's theatrical release is currently unknown.

Never After Dark

Written and directed by Dave Boyle, this haunted house story centers on a pair of sisters who can commune with ghosts. Together, they traverse Japan, making a living by helping the dead pass on. There's just one catch: One sister is a ghost herself, only seen by her sibling Airi (Moeka Hoshi) in reflections. Yet even their powers combined might not be enough for their latest challenge — a long-empty hotel where a jawless ghost is stalking the new owner.

Unfolding a creepy tale in a slow-burn approach with a gnarly and engaging mystery, Never After Dark is sure to thrill the Midnighter crowds at SXSW. But keep an eye out for a spooky movie night closer to home.

Starring: Moeka Hoshi, Kento Kaku, Kurumi Inagaki, Mutsuo Yoshioka, Bokuzo Masana, and Tae Kimura

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Never After Dark's theatrical release is currently unknown.

Edie Arnold is a Loser

Written by Megan Rico and co-directed by Rico and Kade Atwood, Edie Arnold is a Loser is a coming-of-age story for the weird girls. And thank God.

Set in a Catholic school — complete with uniforms and nuns — Edie Arnold is a Loser centers on the eponymous teen (Adi Madden Cabrera), whose life is forever changed when she accidentally takes the stage at a punk show. Turns out, that's a gateway to creating her own band, The NunDead, with a motley crew from her classes. Chaotic and comical, diving giddily into teen angst, crushes, and peer pressure, this movie is an oddball delight that will have you cackling and maybe cringing in recognition. But it's okay. We all had an awkward stage.

Starring: Adi Madden Cabrera, McKenna Tuckett, Cherish Rodriguez, Niki Rahimi, Alexa Paige, Luseane Pasa, Star Herrmann, Alana Mei Kern, Gabe Root, and Lucas Van Orden

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Edie Arnold is a Loser's theatrical release is currently unknown.

Hokum

Among my most anticipated movies of 2026, Hokum unites two scorching forces of horror. Damian McCarthy, the Irish filmmaker behind Caveat and Oddity, teams with Adam Scott (Krampus, The Monkey) for Hokum.

A devotee of practical effects and freaky folklore, McCarthy is building a distinctive and thrilling brand of scares. In his latest, he casts Scott to play a reclusive novelist named Ohm Bauman, who travels to a far-off Irish inn to spread the ashes of his late parents. While there, he hears creepy tales of a witch who haunts the honeymoon suite. Call it "hokum," if you will. But Ohm begins fall victim to strange occurrences and bizarre visions, drawing him deeper and deeper into nightmarish secrets of the past.* — K.P.

Starring: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O'Connell, Michael Patric, Siox C, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio, and Ezra Carlisle

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Hokum opens in theaters on May 1.

The Saviors

If you can't get enough of Adam Scott, you won't want to miss his other genre offering out of SXSW. In The Saviors, Scott co-stars opposite Station Eleven's Danielle Deadwyler as a married couple in the suburbs, on the brink of divorce. But their dynamic switches from sleeping in separate beds to a kinky sex when the renters in their guest house spark their suspicions. What's with the tremors in the ground? The green lights flashing through their windows?

Following in the tradition of such eavesdropping-centric cinema as Rear Window and The 'Burbs, The Saviors is a fascinating thriller with a dash of sex appeal and humor. And co-writer/director Kevin Hamedani has a profound message lurking under this genre's slick surface. Be warned: You'll want to watch this twice.

Starring: Adam Scott, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Kate Berlant, Nazanin Boniadi, Daveed Diggs, Ron Perlman, Colleen Camp, and Greg Kinnear

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, The Saviors' release is TBD.

Power Ballad

Musician turned moviemaker John Carney has rolled out a series of musical dramas, from the Oscar–winning Once to the critically adored Sing Street and the less-beloved Begin Again and Flora and Son. This time, the Irish artist leans more into comedy with the help of Paul Rudd.

The Anaconda star plays a wedding DJ opposite Nick Jonas, who portrays a fading rock star. One fateful night leads the latter stealing an unpublished song from the former, reigniting his career while leaving the DJ in the dust. Presumably hilarious hijinks follow.*

Starring: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Power Ballad opens in theaters on June 5.

Over Your Dead Body

The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone has previously helmed such side-splitting comedies as MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Now, he's back with Over Your Dead Body, an American remake of Tommy Wirkola's 2021 horror-comedy The Trip.

Samara Weaving and Jason Segel co-star as a couple who travel to a remote cabin, theoretically to reconnect. But their dark hearts are separately planning a drastic breakup tactic: murdering their mate. You had us at Jorma. But with this cast, we're not just seated, we're giddy.

Starring: Samara Weaving, Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, Paul Guilfoyle, and Keith Jardine

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Over Your Dead Body's theatrical release is currently unknown.

Cornbread Mafia

There's several promising true crime docs at SXSW this year. But the cream of the crop from what we can tell is Cornbread Mafia. Documentarians Evan Mascagni and Drew Morris delve into the band of Kentucky farmers who grew to be the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in U.S. history. They went from "dirt poor dirt farmers" to wealthy pot dealers, who followed the Italian mafia's code of omertà to protect each other and their families. Still, the law came calling, bringing with it sentences of twenty plus years. But that's not where the Cornbread Mafia's story ends, and they'll let you know it.

The interviews of the Cornbread Mafia are so full of character from the start, you might think you're watching a Coen Bros. comedy. Mascagni and Morris give these fascinating figures space to tell their stories, their way, then illustrate reenactments with a bouncing brand of animation. Altogether, it's not just an entertaining doc, but one that probes the hypocrisy of the war on drugs and mandatory minimums.

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, The Cornbread Mafia's release is currently unknown.

Same Same But Different

Seeking something sweet, silly, and fun? Don't miss Same Same But Different.

Written by Dalia Rooni, who also co-stars, this comedy is about romance, culture clash, and the friends who'll stick by you through everything. See, Rana (Medalion Rahimi) is a hard-working Iranian nurse who's been denied her visa to become a U.S. citizen for a third time. Her well-meaning situationship offers to marry her for a green card, which she agrees to reluctantly. However, as the wedding day approaches, it's not just Rana who's shaken up by the nuptials. Her best friends, free spirit Nadia (Rooni) and rule-following Setareh (Layla Mohammadi) agree to come to his family's swanky vacation house to make the wedding look legit. But with two white boyfriends in tow, all three Iranian women begin to question what they want, both from their homeland's traditions and their new home's opportunities.

As dramatic as the setup sounds, Same Same But Different operates on a My Big Fat Greek Wedding wavelength, bringing plenty of laughs into every scenes. Plus, centered on three compelling gal pals, it's a terrific pick for a girls' night out.

Starring: Medalion Rahimi, Logan Miller, Layla Mohammadi, Dalia Rooni, Richie Moriarty, Michael Baszler, Danielle Pinnock, Lauren Noll, Nicholas Coombe, Kevin Nealon, and Joey Lauren Adams

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Same Same But Different's release is currently unknown.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Another Samara Weaving horror-comedy hitting SXSW — Ready or Not 2: Here I Come picks up with its outrageous predecessor left off. In the hit horror-comedy Ready or Not, scrappy newlywed Grace Le Domas (Samara Weaving) managed to outwit and outlast her devilish in-laws. But now she's got a new game to play, and it's not just her life on the line.

Still bruised from her last life-or-death game, Grace learns the High Council families are going "double or nothing" with her. It's a new level of horror, with a clutch of rich and ruthless families competing to kill Grace and her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton). There will be blood, and plenty more eat-the-rich thrills.*

Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come opens in theaters on March 20.

Imposters

Written and directed by Caleb Phillips, Imposters offers a horror premise deeply rooted in family drama, but with a mind-bending twist you won't see coming.

Happy Death Day's Jessica Rothe and Russian Doll's Charlie Barnett star as a married couple, Marie and Paul, who are trying to get a fresh start in a new house in a rural community with their new baby boy. However, things go from strained to strange when their baby goes missing during a housewarming party. While Marie will bring him home, Paul wonders if the baby in their bassinet is really his son. Uncovering the truth may well make him wish he hadn't.

Starring: Jessica Rothe, Charlie Barnett, Yul Vazquez, Bates Wilder, Luisina Quarleri, Thomas Parobek, Ian Lyons, Taylor Karin, Lee Bennett, and Declan Bennett

How to watch: Following Imposters' SXSW premiere, its theatrical release is currently unknown.

Black Zombie

Zombies have had a major resurgence in popularity, from The Walking Dead to The Last of Us and 28 Years Later's latest trilogy. But before this wave, before the movies of George A. Romero, before even White Zombie, the legend of this horror icon came from Haiti and its Vodou religion.

Documentarian Maya Annik Bedward takes audiences back to these origins, balancing talking heard interviews with clips from zombie movies to knit the complicated narrative around this iconic monster. It's a rich and riveting deep dive that's a must-see for horror fans.

How to watch: Following Imposters' SXSW premiere, its theatrical release is currently unknown.

See You When I See You

Austin film community alum Jay Duplass returns to SXSW with his follow-up to The Baltimorons, with another touching tale of love and loss. Written by stand-up Adam Cayton-Holland, See You When I See You centers on a comedy writer (Cooper Raiff), whose life and sanity is thrown into spin by the death of his younger sister (Kaitlyn Dever).

Along with strong performances from a star-studded cast, this family drama offers a unique visual exploration of the deep suck of grief. Specifically, its hero's memories of his sister aren't simply flashbacks, but shifting surreal spaces that illustrate the emotion of these feelings, not the reality of what happened. Brimming with energy and emotional intelligence, See You When I See You is a drama not to be missed.

Starring: Cooper Raiff, David Duchovny, Kaitlyn Dever, Hope Davis, Lucy Boynton, and Ariela Barer

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, See You When I See You's release date is currently unknown.

Pretty Lethal

Timothée Chalamet might not think much of ballet. But this grimy action-comedy is inspired by the strength, determination, and resilience demanded of this classical art form.

Written by Kate Freund and directed by Vicky Jewson, Pretty Lethal follows a flock of American ballerinas who are on their way to an international competition in Hungary when their bus breaks down. Stumbling upon a nearby inn, they think they've found help, but they soon discover they've stepped on the toes of a turf war. Blood will spatter on their perfect white tutus. But vengeance will come at the end of a weaponized ballet slipper!

Starring: Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Avantika, Maddie Ziegler, and Uma Thurman

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, Pretty Lethal comes to Prime Video on March 25.

They Will Kill You

From producers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the brother-sister team behind IT: Chapters 1 & 2 and IT: Welcome to Derry, comes They Will Kill You. Directed by Kirill Sokolov, this grisly action-comedy stars Zazie Beetz (Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die) as a woman who takes a housekeeping job at the Virgil, a mysterious high-rise that she doesn't know is run by a cult, hellbent on human sacrifice.

From the Warner Bros.' trailer, They Will Kill You looks like it's pulling inspiration from the Blaxploitation genre; it's centered on a strong, sexy Black heroine who curses, kicks ass, and takes no shit. With the trailer spurting plenty of blood and teasing bonkers action, we predict They Will Kill You will be a big hit at SXSW. And lucky for those not coming to Austin, it's coming soon to theaters.

Starring: Zazie Beetz, Myha’La, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette

How to watch: Following its SXSW premiere, They Will Kill You opens in theaters March 27.