Roadside & Vertical Acquire 'Babies' at TIFF
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- Roadside Attractions and Vertical are partnering on the first U.S. acquisition of a world premiere out of TIFF 2026: Lauren Miller Rogen's comedy "Babies," with a theatrical release targeted for 2027.
- "Babies" stars Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick as a childless married couple forced to confront their indecision about parenthood when their divorced friend Kate Berlant and her daughter move in.
- The ensemble expands to Issa Rae, Dan Stevens, Zach Cherry, Ed Helms, Ashley Park, Sharon Stone, and David Strathairn.
- "Babies" world premieres at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 12, exactly one year after AGC Studios and CAA launched worldwide sales on the title at a TIFF 2025 distributor presentation.
- Monarch Media, AGC Studios, and LYLAS Pictures co-financed and produced the film, with a below-the-line team that includes Eduard Grau (cinematographer), Joi McMillon (editor), and composer Nami Melumad.
- The deal was negotiated by Roadside's Howard Cohen, Vertical's Peter Jarowey, and AGC's Anant Tamirisa, with CAA Media Finance repping the filmmakers.
Why it matters: Roadside and Vertical locked in the first U.S. acquisition of TIFF 2026 two full days before the festival opens on Sept. 10 — a pre-festival buy of this scale is unusual and typically reserved for titles with major star power. The Rogen–Kendrick pairing gives the indie distributors a recognizable theatrical anchor with a 2027 release runway to build on.
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