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The 2025 SXSW Conference and festivals kicks off March 7, with a flurry of film and television premieres, tech speakers and panels, enticing activations, comedy shows, and much, much more.
Movie lovers flock to Austin Texas for SXSW to see the world premieres of star-studded films, as well as take the opportunity to discover hidden gems. With so many options to choose from, making your SXSW plan can be stressful. And even if you’re not going to be on the ground, you might want your ear to the ground to know what’s a must-see and what’s a miss. Fear not, Mashable has got you covered. We’ll be running reviews out of the SXSW Film Festival, praising the best and jeering the worst. But Opening Night, here are the titles that most intrigue.
Here are the most-anticipated movies and shows premiering at the SXSW Film Festival in 2025.
Another Simple Favor
Opening SXSW 2025’s film festival is this cheeky sequel to the 2018 thriller A Simple Favor. Set years after vlogging single mom Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) bested her devious bestie Emily (Blake Lively) in a game of lies, insurance fraud, and homicide, they’re reunited. Somehow — despite several murder convictions — Emily is out of prison and looking to wed in a flashy destination wedding. And the perfect person to be her maid of honor is none other than the friend who turned their toxic relationship into a best-selling true crime novel.
Screenwriter Jessica Sharzer and director Paul Feig also return, bringing with them some memorable supporting players. But the most enchanting lure for Another Simple Favor is the intensity Lively brought to the mesmerizing, mercurial, and ever elegant Emily. Or Claudia. Or Hope. Or whatever she’s going by now.
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Elena Sofia Ricci, Alex Newell, Henry Golding, and Allison Janney
How to watch: Another Simple Favor will come to Prime Video on May 1.
Drop
When it comes to dating, in the immortal words of contemporary poet Olivia Rodrigo, “It’s brutal out there.”
No one understands that better than Violet (White Lotus‘ Meghann Fahy), a widowed mom who’s going on her first date in ages. But far beyond getting the ick, she’s getting bizarre and threatening memes from an unknown number. Coming from Christopher Landon, the writer of such high concept comedy-horror gems as Happy Death Day, Freaky, and Heart Eyes, this Drop promises to be a thrilling night out.
Starring: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson
How to watch: Drop opens in theaters April 11.
Death of a Unicorn
Let’s be honest, this title alone should be enough to pique your curiosity. From A24 comes the feature directorial debut of helmer/writer Alex Scharfman. And as you might predict, Death of a Unicorn centers around the demise of the eponymous mythical beast.
Look, daughter duo Elliot and Ridley (Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega) didn’t mean to kill the unicorn. It was a accident. But when the corpse of a unicorn inspires an obscenely affluent family of pharmaceutical execs to experiment, things go from bad to fantastically worse. Which seems good news for moviegoers who love a wild ride.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant
How to watch: Death of a Unicorn opens in theaters March 28.
The Accountant 2
Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal re-team in an enticing sequel to director Gavin O’Connor’s 2016’s The Accountant. The first film unfurled the twisted tale of two brothers, raised by a hard-headed military dad, who felt violence could be an answer to just about anything. But while one son grew up a mercenary with no qualms about murder, the other became an accountant for some of the most dangerous wealthy folk on the planet.
Now, when former treasury chief (and friend) Ray King (J.K. Simmons) dies, it’s up to Christian Wolff (Affleck) and his hot-tempered brother Braxton (Bernthal) to crack the case… and maybe some skulls along the way. A thriller that promises action and character-driven drama starring two of Hollywood’s most strong-jawed leading men? That math adds up to LFG.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, and J.K. Simmons
How to watch: The Accountant 2 opens in theaters nationwide on April 25.
Holland
Sleep is for anyone but AMC movie queen Nicole Kidman. In 2024, the heralded leading lady appeared in the Lulu Wang mini-series Expats, the May-December rom-com A Family Affair, the mystery series The Perfect Couple, the espionage drama series Lioness, and the steamy erotic thriller Babygirl. Now, she’s kicking off 2025 with a curious collaboration with Mimi Cave, director of the cannibal thriller Fresh.
Holland seems to be set in a picture-perfect town in Michigan, where cheerful children, happy housewives, and Dutch dancing are thriving. But something is off for Nancy (Kidman). She’s convinced she’s onto a mystery, but what could it mean — for her and her husband and son? We can’t wait to find out.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, and Gael García Bernal
How to watch: Holland debuts on Prime Video on March 27.
O’Dessa
This rock opera from writer/director Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$) is coming to Hulu. But I’d recommend you take advantage of the chance to see it in theaters at SXSW, where the soundtrack can envelope you, rattling your bones and soul.
Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink stars as O’Dessa, a rambler who has a song in her heart and a destiny in her blood. In a dystopian world, a narcissistic dictator numbs the population into poverty through an endless barrage of TV broadcasts. It’s up to O’Dessa to bring her music to the masses and open their hearts and minds. Along the way, Jasper drenches his audience in an enchanting musical soundscape with visuals gorgeous and strange, making for a movie musical that feels familiar yet thrillingly fresh.
Starring: Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, Regina Hall, and Pokey LaFarge
How to watch: O’Dessa premieres on Hulu on March 13.
The Studio
Seth Rogen and a jaw-dropping cast of big stars give Hollywood the takedown it so richly deserves with The Studio.
The battle of art versus commerce takes center stage as Rogen plays a newly minted studio exec, who has to make an endless series of wild decisions. If you ever wonder how the blockbuster sausage gets made, the first episode of this stellar comedy series gives you a juicy and revolting taste.
The writing on this satirical series is so sharp that Rogen practically bleeds as he plays the fool across an array of comical conflicts. And he’s bolstered by a supporting cast that is blisteringly funny, spitting barbs, allusions, and one-liners with a dizzying intensity. SXSW gives audiences a little taste of this new sitcom. To see the rest, you’ll need to subscribe to Apple TV+.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Bryan Cranston
How to watch: The Studio premieres on Apple TV+ on March 26.
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Following its Sundance debut, this winsome dramedy is perfectly pitched for SXSW, dealing with music, fandom, and the power of love.
Imagine if you will, you won a lottery prize so immense you could not only afford a home on a remote island far from the worries of the world, but you could also afford to essentially bribe your favorite band to reunite for a private concert. This is what eccentric Charles Heath (Tim Key) does, just to hear McGwyer Mortimer play live one more time. However, the folk rock band who peaked in the 2010s didn’t just disband. The angsty Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and the cheery Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) broke up romantically as well. So when she turns up with her new husband (Akemnji Ndifornyen) the stage is set for romantic rivalry, resurrected resentments, and some really great indie rock.
Starring: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen, and Carey Mulligan
How to watch: The Ballad of Wallis Island premieres in theaters March 28.
Happy Face
True crime fans, brace yourselves for your next TV obsession. Robert King and Michelle King, the dynamic partnership that brought us the rousing drama and wit of The Good Fight and The Good Wife, are now delivering an intriguing new series inspired by Melissa G. Moore’s autobiographical podcast and book about being the daughter of the notorious Happy Face Killer.
Annaleigh Ashford stars as Melissa Reed. A wife, mother, and professional make-up artist, Melissa’s plate is pretty full even before her convicted killer father (played by a snarling Dennis Quaid) barges into what peace she has built. He’s been locked up for years after being convicted of eight murders. But he claims there’s a ninth victim, and he’ll only tell the details to his darling “Missy.” To reconnect with her dad will not only open up old wounds, but also risk the anonymity on which she’s raised her own family. But if a confession could stop the wrong man from unjust punishment, would it be worth it?
Starring: Annaleigh Ashford, Dennis Quaid, Tamera Tomakili, and James Wolk
How to watch: Happy Face begins streaming on Paramount+ March 20.
American Sweatshop
Credit: Guido Marx
Lili Reinhart headlines this sly thriller about a young woman who has a total nightmare job: She’s a moderator for videos on the internet. Every day, she and a small army of her coworkers come to a dismal office, where they must watch acts of violence, depravity, and violation to determine whether these videos break the company’s user agreement. Smartly, director Uta Briesewitz doesn’t make a spectacle of the horrors that her characters witness, keeping most of them off-camera. Instead, she turns the knife by focusing on the psychological agony of those forced to watch for a meager salary.
Tormented by one video in particular, Daisy (Reinhart) becomes obsessed with tracking down its maker. Through her journey, this savage film not only vivisects the dark voyeurism that exists on the internet and the trauma it inflicts. It also mocks the callous nature of corporate America, which will allow anything it can in the name of profit. Achingly timely and unnervingly thrilling, American Sweatshop is must-see for the chronically online.
Starring: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, Tim Plester, Christiane Paul, and Joel Fry
How to watch: Release TBD.
I Really Love My Husband
Credit: Still by Ryan Thomas. Color by Dan Edwards.
The feature debut of writer/director G.G. Hawkins is a playful and enticing look at love and desire, with a sharp sense of humor.
The story of this sexy comedy begins on a honeymoon to tropical Panama. There, newlyweds Drew and Teresa (Travis Quentin Young and Madison Lanesey) are seeking pleasure and fun under the sun. But something is eating at Teresa, who seems irked by her husband’s every move. That is, until they meet their enchanting rental host, the free-spirited Paz (Arta Gee). More than a sexy stranger, they seem a path to sexual exploration and personal liberation. While this concept of a straight-seeming couple dabbling in kink and queer hook-ups might seem predictable and problematic, Hawkins and her cast show a keen self-awareness in the film’s final act. The result is a comedy that’s funny, poignant, and thought-provoking.
Starring: Madison Lanesey, Travis Quentin Young, Arta Gee, Lisa Jacqueline Starrett, Elizabeth de Robbins, Sophia Amodio, Meggan Taylor, Mitch Bisshop, Amberlin Morse
How to watch: Release TBD.
The Secret of Me
Credit: SXSW
The personal is political in the poignant and richly informative documentary The Secret of Me.
Directed by Grace Hughes-Hallett, this film begins with the story of an American girl who loves soccer and her parents. But as she grows older, family secrets are revealed that change how she sees herself, her family, and the world around her. A story of personal discovery becomes one of intersex activism, as The Secret of Me‘s hero comes to realize they’re not alone. Tying this individual story to the history of a landmark psychology experiment and the disturbing impact it had on countless children, this doc will open eyes, and hopefully hearts.
How to watch: Release TBD.
The Threesome
Credit: Star Thrower Entertainment
Want a romantic comedy with a little bit of spice? Then you’ll fall for director Chad Hartigan’s surprisingly charming The Threesome.
What begins as the kind of story you might read in an AITA thread evolves into a sweet and silly story about three young lovers who face big decisions after a wild night together. Zoey Deutch stars as a charismatic but mercurial waitress who propose a threesome with an old friend (Jonah Hauer-King) who’s long been crushing on her, and a new acquaintance (Ruby Cruz) with a dazzling energy. While you might suspect you know where this sexual encounter might lead, you’re wrong. This is far from a Challengers–like tale of tension, lust, and resentment. Instead, it’s a story about growing up, whether you’re ready or not, and taking responsibility for your choices and the hearts you broke along the way. Tender and beguiling, The Threesome is solid fun.
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod, and Julia Sweeney
How to watch: Release TBD.
Dead Lover
Credit: Rhayne Vermette
If you crave something determinedly offbeat, check out this Sundance pick, which has its Texas premiere at SXSW. Co-written, directed, and starring Grace Glowicki, Dead Lover is as far from a vanity project as a filmmaker might get. In this gnarly horror-comedy, she plays an unnamed gravedigger who smells so rank she repels everyone around her. However, when she finally meets a man who is all too happy to share her bed, he tragically dies, leaving only a dismembered finger behind. But that scrap of lover could be enough to Frankenstein her way to a reunion.
If that weren’t wild enough, Glowicki and co-writer/co-star Ben Petrie weave in subplots of naughty nuns, judgmental biddies, a sneering parson, and a grief-stricken swashbuckler. And their cast of four will play all of the roles in black box setting, with obvious wigs, and clumsy costumes that relish in the DIY aesthetic. It’s “Let’s Put on a Show!” for the midnight movie crowd, making Dead Lover a really bonkers watch.
Starring: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Leah Doz, and Lowen Morrow
How to watch: Release TBD.
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SXSW Conference and Festivals: Here’s our top picks of what to see in film and TV.
