Steven Spielberg will appear as a keynote speaker at the 2026 conference on March 13 in a live taping of \u201cThe Big Picture\u201d podcast alongside host Sean Fennessey, organizers announced Thursday.\u00a0The appearance lands as\u00a0SXSW marks four decades in Austin, with this year\u2019s festival scheduled for March 12\u201318.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spielberg\u2019s session is expected to cover his decades-long career, the state of theatrical moviegoing and his upcoming film \u201cDisclosure Day,\u201d a thriller set for release in June.<\/p>\n
The booking reinforces the festival\u2019s pivot toward industry-defining names in an increasingly crowded festival field. Spielberg\u2019s filmography \u2014 from \u201cJaws\u201d and \u201cE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial\u201d to \u201cJurassic Park\u201d and \u201cSchindler\u2019s List\u201d \u2014 helped define both the modern blockbuster and prestige cinema.<\/p>\n
Spielberg joins a lineup of recognizable names. Among them: Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn discussing the afterlife of \u201cBreaking Bad\u201d-era storytelling; Larry David and Jeff Schaffer previewing a new HBO comedy; and a panel featuring Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler tied to the upcoming series \u201cROOSTER.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond the conference stage, the film and TV lineup includes 118 feature films, 88 of them world premieres, alongside 72 shorts, 20 music videos, nine television projects and 30 XR experiences.<\/p>\n
Opening night on the TV side will spotlight \u201cMargo\u2019s Got Money Troubles,\u201d an Apple TV series starring Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer, while the film program is anchored by Boots Riley\u2019s \u201cI Love Boosters,\u201d<\/a> featuring Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield.<\/p>\n Other narrative features include films starring\u00a0Vince Vaughn and James Marsden, as well as genre entries like \u201cReady or Not 2: Here I Come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The documentary slate continues\u00a0SXSW\u2019s focus on contemporary culture and politics, with projects examining everything from viral videos and policing to music criticism and climate change. International titles round out the program, including \u201cCampe\u00f3n Gabacho\u201d from Jon\u00e1s Cuar\u00f3n.<\/p>\n