The South by Southwest Conference and Festival has dropped the kind of announcement that makes Austin’s film crowd mark their calendars: Boots Riley is returning to the festival — and he’s bringing a star-packed heist comedy to kick off the event’s 40th anniversary edition.
“I Love Boosters,” Riley’s long-awaited second feature, will make its world premiere as the 2026 opening night film at SXSW, which runs from March 12–18 in downtown Austin.
Riley’s new film follows a crew of professional shoplifters aiming to take down a ruthless fashion mogul. And the cast? Stacked. “I Love Boosters” features Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, LaKeith Stanfield, Eiza González, Don Cheadle and Demi Moore — a lineup that screams festival favorite.
SXSW Film & TV VP Claudette Godfrey didn’t bother hiding her excitement, calling the film “deliciously unpredictable” in a news release that promised Riley’s singular, surreal style will “burst onto the scene.”
The full festival lineup will drop in January, giving Austin’s moviegoers a few more weeks to speculate about what else might land in the ever-expanding SXSW programming universe.
Beyond film premieres, festival registrants will once again gain access to conference keynotes, comedy showcases, exhibitions, and a full slate of networking events. Badges are available at sxsw.com/badges.