The first trailer for The Gallerist was released on Wednesday, 5 November 2026, and it delivers one of the darkest premises of the year: a dead body, passed off as a work of art.
Roadside Attractions and Vertical will release the dark comedy in North American theatres on Friday, 4 December 2026. Natalie Portman stars as Polina Polinski, a Miami gallery owner facing financial hardship after a difficult separation. She is betting everything on her debut show at Art Basel Miami — the art world’s biggest stage.
Jenna Ortega plays Kiki, Polina’s assistant. When art influencer Dalton Hardberry, played by Zach Galifianakis, dies in an accident in front of a sculpture, the two women make a desperate decision: they pass his body off as a piece of art. What follows is a satire of the art world, where the line between genius and fraud is thinner than anyone wants to admit.
The ensemble is stacked. Sterling K. Brown plays Polina’s ex-husband Tom, Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays artist Stella Burgess, and the cast also includes Daniel Brühl, Catherine Zeta-Jones as dealer Marianne Gorman, and Charli XCX as Alex. Ortega is also credited as an executive producer on the film.
Cathy Yan, who directed Birds of Prey, directed and co-wrote the film with James Pedersen. It premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2026, where its art-world satire drew attention.
The trailer suggests a film that is both funny and sharp — a comedy about an industry that takes itself very seriously, told by people who clearly enjoy poking fun at it. Portman and Ortega, two of the most in-demand actors working today, make a pairing worth watching.
Portman and Ortega join a strong season for star-led films, from Maya Hawke joining the Magic: The Gathering movie to the Soul Train Awards 2026 honouring Chaka Khan. The Gallerist opens in theatres on 4 December.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.