At a Glance
- David E. Kelley’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles will open SXSW’s TV program on March 12-18.
- The Apple TV+ dramedy stars Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.
- 58 features and 9 TV shows join the festival, including 49 world premieres.
- Why it matters: SXSW cements its role as a launchpad for high-profile streaming content.
SXSW has locked the opening night for its TV slate: Margo’s Got Money Troubles, the latest series from prolific showrunner David E. Kelley, will debut ahead of its April 15 Apple TV+ launch. The announcement, made by festival organizers, lands alongside a 58-feature lineup packed with world premieres across film, TV, and XR experiences.
Based on Rufi Thorpe’s novel, the half-hour family dramedy follows Margo (Elle Fanning), a newly single mom and aspiring writer who moves back home with her ex-Hooters-waitress mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her retired-wrestler dad (Nick Offerman). Nicole Kidman, Marcia Gay Harden, and Greg Kinnear round out the ensemble cast.
“David E. Kelley’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles has pure SXSW energy,” said Claudette Godfrey, VP Film & TV. “Elle Fanning is absolutely magnetic as Margo, and Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a performance that reminds you why she’s an absolute legend.” Godfrey praised the “killer soundtrack, genuine heart, and sharp attitude” that align with the festival’s taste for bold storytelling.
The series will screen on the big screen in Austin before streaming globally. Apple TV+ secured the project under a first-look deal with Kelley, whose recent hits include The Lincoln Lawyer and Big Little Lies.
SXSW’s TV additions don’t stop there. AMC’s Silicon Valley satire The Audacity and Monsters of God, from Tiger King producer Jeremy McBride, also land premiere slots. The Audacity stars Billy Magnussen as a tech entrepreneur who drags his therapist into privacy-bending antics, while Monsters of God tracks reptile smugglers and the agents trying to stop them.
On the film side, I Love Boosters-Boots Riley’s follow-up to Sorry to Bother You-anchors the Headliners section. The comedy stars Keke Palmer as the leader of a professional shoplifting crew targeting a fashion mogul. Riley wrote and directed; the film joins Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a time-traveling action-comedy from BenDavid Grabinski starring Vince Vaughn and James Marsden.
Horror fans get multiple treats. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come brings back Samara Weaving as Grace, now hunted by four rival families after surviving the Le Domas cult. They Will Kill You pits Zazie Beetz against occult elites in a deadly mansion, while Grind-a workplace horror anthology co-directed by former Austinite Brea Grant-closes the Midnighters program.
Music docs occupy the 24 Beats Per Second strand. Los Lobos Native Sons chronicles 50 years of the East L.A. band, featuring fresh interviews with Cesar Rosas, Louie Perez, and guests like Linda Ronstadt and Tom Waits. We Are the Shaggs revisits the outsider girl group whose polarizing album Philosophy of the World later earned praise from Frank Zappa and Kurt Cobain.
Texas voices surface throughout. UT alum Jay Duplass returns with See You When I See You, an adaptation of Adam Cayton-Holland’s memoir about grief and comedy, starring Cooper Raiff. Austin filmmaker John Valley premieres American Dollhouse, a Christmas-themed psychological thriller shot locally after his 2021 cult hit The Pizzagate Massacre.
The festival’s tally now stands at 58 narrative and documentary features, 49 world premieres, and 9 TV projects. Organizers promise additional titles in mid-February. Badges for SXSW 2026 are on sale now via sxsw.com.
Key Takeaways
- Margo’s Got Money Troubles offers early access to Apple TV+ subscribers before its April release.
- SXSW’s blend of studio premieres and indie discoveries keeps Austin at the center of film-tv convergence.
- Local filmmakers like Brea Grant and John Valley secure world-premiere slots alongside A-list talent.
- The music-centric 24 Beats Per Second section honors SXSW’s origins with docs on Los Lobos and The Shaggs.
