Overview
- The BFI announced Tuesday that The Debut will close the 70th London Film Festival with its U.K. premiere at the Royal Festival Hall on October 18.
- The Debut is a musical comedy written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg that follows a shy woman who is cast in a local original musical and becomes consumed by the production.
- Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti lead an ensemble that also includes Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Bernadette Peters and several stage actors, and Eisenberg and cast members are expected to attend the closing-night gala.
- The film will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release by A24 on December 11, 2026, with Lionsgate releasing it in the U.K. on January 15, 2027.
- The selection reinforces industry expectations for awards-season visibility for Eisenberg’s follow-up to his 2024 film A Real Pain by giving the film a high-profile U.K. platform before its commercial rollout.