From Ethan Hawke to Alexander Skarsgard, See Every Star Who Visited Collider’s Sundance 2026 Studio

From January 22nd to February 1st this year, filmmakers from all over the world headed to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the last installment of the Sundance Film Festival that will take place in the state’s capital, before it moves to Boulder, Colorado in 2027. The event marked the return of the annual Cinema Center, Roxstar Entertainment’s hospitality hub, where the festival’s top talent attends to promote and sell what they have to offer at Sundance.

As one of the Center’s key partners in delivering the best experience possible, Collider brought the Media Studio to the Utah mountains once again to conduct dozens of interviews with some of the biggest names in the industry. Tons of fun and insightful conversations were had regarding what audiences can expect from these top-level talents going forward.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Arby’s, for making the Collider Studio happen at the Arby’s Cinema Center and keeping us all fed with their selection of curly fries, mozzarella sticks, and tastes of their new Italian Beef Dip, a new limited-time sandwich that brings Chicago-style flavors to its menu. In addition, thanks to our supporting partners, including Hendrick’s Gin, Sommsation – The Wine Company, Peroni USA, Neau Water, Bernier, and our producing partner, Twenty35 Agency.

Keep reading to see all the photos from the 2026 Collider Studio at Sundance Film Festival.

‘The Shitheads’ (2026)

The Shitheads was one of the buzziest titles at Sundance 2026. Written, produced, and directed by Macon Blair, the dark comedy road trip stars Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, Nicholas Braun, and Emmy winner Peter Dinklage. The premise follows two men who have hit rock bottom and are forced to take a troubled rich kid to rehab. Reviews for The Shitheads were positive, with Collider‘s review praising Franco, Jackson Jr., and Thames’ performances and Blair’s approach.

‘Saccharine’ (2026)

Natalie Erika James‘ Australian horror film Saccharine made its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The dark premise centers on Hana (Midori Francis), a lovelorn medical student who succumbs to a sinister weight-loss method that involves eating a dead person’s ashes. However, she soon becomes haunted by the ghost of the person she’s eating. Madeleine Madden and Danielle Macdonald also star. Reviews were mixed to positive, with Collider praising the film’s early approach and premise, as well as Francis’ committed performance.

‘If I Go Will They Miss Me’ (2026)

Directed, written, and edited by Walter Thompson-Hernandez, If I Go Will They Miss Me is an expansion of his 2022 short film of the same name. It follows Lil Ant’s struggle to reconnect with his estranged father after he begins having visions of young boys drifting throughout his neighborhood. The coming-of-age film stars J. Alphonse Nicholson, Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks, and newcomer Bodhi Dell. Collider gave If I Go Will They Miss Me a positive review, praising the three lead performances and Thompson-Hernandez’s blend of realism and fantasy.

‘Frank & Louis’ (2026)

Swiss screenwriter and director Petra Volpe — best-known for directing the 2017 comedy-drama The Divine Order — makes her English-language feature debut with the drama Frank & Louis. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rob Morgan, Indira Varma, and Rosalind Eleazar star in the story of Frank, a prisoner who finds a new purpose and redemption when he starts helping fellow inmates with their health problems. Reviews for the movie were positive, with Variety calling it “a stoically moving story of prison care.”

‘Chasing Summer’ (2026)

Chasing Summer is directed by Josephine Decker and written Iliza Shlesinger, who also stars alongside Tom Welling, Lola Tung, Garret Wareing, Cassidy Freeman, and Emmy winner Megan Mullally. Shlesinger plays Jamie, an overachieving woman who moves back to her hometown after breaking up with her boyfriend and losing her job. There, she’ll reconnect with old acquaintances who will turn her life upside down. Chasing Summer was among the most divisive films at Sundance, with Deadline calling it “a heartfelt Texas dramedy,” but The Guardian dismissing it as “a baffling car crash.”

‘Bait’ (2026)

Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed took to Sundance to present his upcoming TV show for Amazon Prime Video, Bait. Ahmed, who also wrote all six episodes, stars as Shah Latif, an actor in London who suffers an existential crisis as he’s about to land a dream role. Comedian and actor Guz Khan co-stars in the show and was also in attendance at the festival. Bait will debut all six episodes on Amazon Prime Video on March 26th.

‘I Want Your Sex’ (2026)

Perhaps no title at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was buzzier than I Want Your Sex, Gregg Araki‘s newest offering. The erotic comedy-thriller stars Cooper Hoffman as Elliot, a naive young man who lands a job as the assistant to renowned artist and provocateur Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde). There’s just one detail: Erika also wants him to be her sexual muse. Mason Gooding, Daveed Diggs, Charli XCX, and Margaret Cho also star. I Want Your Sex received positive reviews, with Collider calling it “the horny tale that Gen Z needs to see.”

‘Leviticus’ (2026)

The feature directorial debut of writer-director Adrian Chiarella, Leviticus tells the tale of two star-crossed teenage boys, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen), coming to terms with their attraction and sexualities in an isolated Australian town. However, their journey of self-discovery soon turns into a nightmare when they become haunted by an entity that takes the form of the person they desire most: each other. Millennial queen Mia Wasikowska also stars, marking her first film since 2023’s Club Zero. Leviticus attracted attention at the festival, with the premise drawing comparisons to last year’s sensation, Heated Rivalry.

‘The Audacity’ (2026)

The familiar but still underrated Billy Magnusen stars in Jonathan Glatzer‘s upcoming eight-episode drama The Audacity. The plot centers on a tech SEO and self-appointed “inventor of the future” and his “performance psychologist,” who become engulfed in a scandal about the exploitation of personal data. Barry‘s Sarah Goldberg and The Big Bang Theory‘s Simon Helberg also star. The series is set to premiere on April 12th on AMC.

‘The Weight’ (2026)

Fresh off his Oscar nomination for Blue Moon, Ethan Hawke traveled to Sundance in support of his film The Weight. The historical drama, directed by Padraic McKinley, is set in 1930s Oregon and follows recently incarcerated Samuel Murphy (Hawke), who receives an offer from Warden Clancy (Russell Crowe): he and other prisoners can earn their freedom if they participate in a dangerous gold smuggling operation. Julia Jones and Austin Amelio also star.