The 20 Hottest Sundance Sales Titles Available to Distributors in 2026, from ‘The Invite’ to ‘I Want Your Sex’

Over 75 movies and episodic series are coming into this year’s Sundance looking for a home, and it will be the last time they find that home in the confines of Park City, Utah.

This will be the last year that movies are discovered in the Eccles or the Library, and for those films that are, it will feel extra special when they land distribution deals and one day find audiences beyond Park City.

While many films were name dropped to us in the course of our reporting on the festival, these 20 stood out. While one or two may land an 8-figure deal from a streamer or other buyer looking to make a splash, the rest may still take weeks after the festival to close or will go to smaller distributors for a niche market. That doesn’t make any of them less worthy of buyers’ attention.

Sundance runs from January 22 – February 1, 2026, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with the at-home program available online from January 29 – February 1, 2026, for audiences nationwide.

Films presented in alphabetical order.

“Carousel” (U.S. Dramatic)

Rachel Lambert, the director of “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” returns to Sundance with this romantic drama starring Chris Pine and Jenny Slate that has a quintessential Sundance vibe and should play well with crowds.

“Chasing Summer” (Premieres)

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger wrote and stars in this film from director Josephine Decker (“Madeline’s Madeline,” “Shirley”), and the film has the vibe of a smart, funny, personal, and heartwarming story from a stand-up comic about to have a breakout moment.

“Cookie Queens” (Family Matinee)

Everyone loves Girl Scout Cookies! Even Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, who are executive producers on this documentary that is by far the most commercial doc on the slate. Director Alysa Nahmias was mentioned several times to us as a rare family title that could pique buyer interest.

“Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” (Premieres)

“Gail Daughtry” is David Wain’s first feature since 2018, but it’s also a reunion between him and Ken Marino, who wrote and co-stars in this film about a woman whose fiancé makes good on a celebrity hall pass hook up, inspiring her to do the same. The cast of comedy icons is predictably stacked for a Wain film, including Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, and John Slattery, and that one source described to us as “the funniest movie around.”

“The Gallerist” (Premieres)

After directing “Birds of Prey” and an episode of “Succession,” Cathy Yan goes back to her indie film roots with this comedy and thriller starring Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, and one of three Charli xcx roles. MRC produced this film and should have no trouble finding it a home and a pricey sale.

“Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” (U.S. Dramatic)

Rinko Kikuchi stars in this drama from director Josef Kubota Wladyka about a woman competing in ballroom dance competitions in Tokyo. The description of it as fun and lively but also about a woman dealing with grief had one source compare it to Sebastián Lelio breakout film “Gloria.”

“Hanging by a Wire” (World Documentary)

“Hanging by a Wire” could be this year’s “Skywalkers,” the high-flying, international documentary that sparks a big deal from a streamer. Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi’s film uses drone footage and re-enactments to tell the story of eight passengers dangling from a cable car over a ravine after a wire snaps.

“The History of Concrete” (Premieres)

Is John Wilson’s “The History of Concrete” essentially an extended episode of “How to”? Perhaps, but that’s fine with us, and as a blend of satire and documentary, it should attract an eclectic group of buyers. Having Josh Safdie as an executive producer shouldn’t hurt.

“I Want Your Sex” (Premieres)

Sexy, provocative, and stylish, not to mention the other sales title starring Charli xcx, Gregg Araki’s eleventh trip to Sundance should land him yet another sale. The film stars Cooper Hoffman, Olivia Wilde, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, and Daveed Diggs.

“The Invite” (Premieres)

It feels almost incredible that a movie directed by Olivia Wilde and starring a stacked cast of Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton and written by Will McCormick and Rashida Jones, could actually be on the market looking for a sale. But this FilmNation title found funding independently and gave Wilde the freedom to make the film she wanted, including shooting the story chronologically. The film is a marital chamber drama that could be too starry for a studio to ignore.

“Josephine” (U.S. Dramatic)

The second feature from director Beth de Araújo, “Josephine” should make her a director to watch. Her debut feature “Soft & Quiet” got picked up by Blumhouse out of SXSW. This latest one features Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan as parents stuck in an impossible situation, and despite giving dramatic performances that stretch their range, the pair are said to knock it out of the park.

“Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie” (Premieres)

Alex Gibney always sparks intrigue from non-fiction fans, and his latest about the assassination attempt against Salman Rushdie is said to be harrowing because of the previously unseen footage surrounding the attack and his rehab.

“The Lake” (U.S. Documentary)

Leonardo DiCaprio just came on board as an executive producer of this environmental disaster film. The logline will make it sound exhausting, but a source tells us the documentary is a surprising blend of faith and science with even a hopeful ending that points to the potential for change.

“The Last First: Winter K2” (Premieres)

Move over, “Free Solo.” This film about the attempt to summit K2 in Asia is the newest most dangerous accomplishment in mountaineering. Amir Bar-Lev’s film is not just about climbing but about influencer culture and how that has resulted in some climbers getting killed.

“See You When I See You” (Premieres)

Director Jay Duplass assembled a cast that includes Sundance favorite Cooper Raiff, David Duchovny, Kaitlyn Dever, and Hope Davis for this family dramedy about a comedy writer battling PTSD, all based on screenwriter Adam Cayton-Holland’s own memoir.

“The Shitheads” (Premieres)

“The Shitheads” is an irreverent comedy and late night movie with a strong cast featuring Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Mason Thames. Macon Blair, who won at Sundance in 2017 for his debut “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” wrote and directed the comedy about two guys hired to bring a rich teen to rehab before it all quickly goes wrong.

“Soul Patrol” (U.S. Documentary)

Another doc with a lot of commercial potential even though it’s not a celebrity-driven doc, “Soul Patrol” is about the first all-Black special ops unit to serve in Vietnam, and incredibly, the entire unit is still alive to tell their story today. The film is directed by J.M. Harper, who made his debut on 2024’s “As We Speak.”

“The Weight” (Premieres)

With Ethan Hawke in the Oscars race, “The Weight” is arriving at just the right time. The film is a Depression-era thriller and crime drama from director Padraic McKinley and is expected to be one of the more commercially viable genre films available on the market.

“Wicker” (Premieres)

In the race for one of the weirder premises of the festival, “Wicker” has been described to us as very fun and with a peculiar tone. It stars Olivia Colman as a fisherwoman who orders a husband — as played by Alexander Skarsgård — made out of a wicker basket. It might just be good enough to cut through the noise and rise to the top.

View this article at IndieWire.