Roadside Acquires U.S. Rights to The Gallerist
Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment will release the dark crime comedy starring Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega in theaters.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Comedy
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Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment acquired U.S. rights to The Gallerist, a dark crime comedy directed by Cathy Yan that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on December 4, 2026.
Why it matters
The deal gives U.S. audiences a chance to see the comedy-thriller on the big screen later this year. It adds a wide theatrical release to a film that first debuted on the festival circuit.
The film's U.S. theatrical release is set for December 4, 2026, following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. No box office figures, budget, or runtime were disclosed, and the financial terms of the distribution deal remain undisclosed.
The players
Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions is an American independent film distributor that acquired U.S. rights to The Gallerist.
Vertical Entertainment
Vertical Entertainment is an independent film production and distribution company that co-acquired U.S. rights to The Gallerist alongside Roadside Attractions.
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman is an Academy Award-winning actress who stars in The Gallerist as Polina Polinski and co-produced the film.
Cathy Yan
Cathy Yan is a filmmaker known for directing Birds of Prey and Dead Pigs who directed and co-wrote The Gallerist.
The details
The Gallerist stars Natalie Portman as Polina Polinski, a Miami art dealer, and Jenna Ortega as Kiki Gorman, her assistant. The story follows Polina as she becomes involved in a dangerous scheme after attempting to turn a situation involving a dead body into an artistic opportunity, with an ensemble cast that includes Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Daniel Brühl and Charli XCX.
Timeline
Sundance Film Festival: the film premiered at the festival before its distribution deal was announced.
December 4, 2026: The Gallerist opens in theaters.
Industry Dynamics
The Gallerist follows the familiar path of independent films that premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and are then picked up by specialty distributors for a theatrical release. Acquisitions of this kind remain a key route for mid-budget, genre-leaning films to reach American audiences outside the major studio system.
The Gallerist will be available to watch in U.S. theaters beginning December 4, 2026. Viewers who want to see the film will need to attend a theatrical screening, as no streaming or home release details were announced in the source material.
The takeaway
Film fans tracking dark comedies should mark December 4, 2026, as the date to watch for The Gallerist in U.S. theaters.
What happens next
The Gallerist opens in theaters on December 4, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Comedy films and their upcoming releases in the United States.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Steamboat Radio.
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