The Gallerist (2026)

A gallerist's attempt to launch a new artist's work spirals into a high-stakes whirlwind of the art world's ruthless machinery.

The story

Preparing for her Art Basel premiere, gallerist Polina Polinski hosts an early look for art influencer Dalton Hardberry to review emerging artist Stella Burgess. Dalton rains hate on Polina, Stella, and the entire gallery until he encounters the centerpiece — a large-scale sculpture entitled "The Emasculator". The "hyperrealist work" goes viral, attracting legendary dealer Marianne Gorman, who revs up the ruthless machine of the art world.

First release year

2026

Runtime (minutes)

94

Production countries

United States

Original languages

English

Directors

Cathy Yan

Writers

James Pedersen · writer; Cathy Yan · writer

Cast and characters

Natalie Portman · Polina Polinski; Jenna Ortega · Kiki Gorman; Sterling K. Brown · Tom; Zach Galifianakis · Dalton Hardberry; Da'Vine Joy Randolph · Stella Burgess; Catherine Zeta-Jones · Marianne Gorman; Daniel Brühl · a wannabe art collector; Charli XCX · Alex

Genres

dark comedy; thriller

Themes

art world critique

Tone and mood

dark comedy; thriller

Premise and plot tags

art world; social media

Reception

The film received mixed reviews, described as a "playful satire" by Vanity Fair, but also called "clumsy and inert on screen" by The Hollywood Reporter and "a major stumble" by The Guardian.

Reported review scores

Metacritic · score: 48 · scale: 100 · review count: 12

Production trivia

The film was financed by MRC.; Principal photography wrapped on February 6, 2025.

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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