Dolphin Subsidiary 42West Brings Exciting and Diverse Projects to the 2026 Sundance Film Festival
Rhea-AI Summary
Dolphin (NASDAQ:DLPN) subsidiary 42West will present a slate of nine film and television projects at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, running January 22 – February 1, 2026. The slate spans six programming areas—documentary, narrative, episodic, NEXT, Midnight, and Family Matinee—and includes titles actively seeking distribution.
Highlights include U.S. Documentary Competition titles SEIZED, JOYBUBBLES, and WHO KILLED ALEX ODEH?; U.S. Dramatic TAKE ME HOME; NEXT films GHOST IN THE MACHINE and NIGHT NURSE; Midnight BUDDY; Family Matinee COOKIE QUEENS (exec produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex); and episodic SOFT BOIL. 42West is partnering with IndieWire and working with multiple agencies on festival bookings.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
DLPN traded down 3.61% while only one peer (DRCT) appeared in momentum scans, moving up 4.13%. Other close peers showed mixed or flat moves, suggesting stock-specific dynamics rather than a sector-wide advertising/marketing move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13 | Film marketing update | Positive | +0.0% | Trailer and key art release for Youngblood ahead of March 2026 launch. |
| Jan 06 | Shareholder letter | Positive | +0.0% | CEO letter highlighting 2025 growth, AI initiatives, and positive 2026 outlook. |
| Dec 30 | Client campaign win | Positive | +11.4% | The Door’s leadership of Hooters’ ownership transition and brand repositioning. |
| Dec 23 | Podcast recognition | Positive | -0.7% | Shore Fire Media clients named among The New Yorker’s best podcasts of 2025. |
| Dec 16 | AI division launch | Positive | -4.5% | Launch of Dolphin Intelligence AI-driven marketing and communications division. |
Recent promotional and strategic announcements often carried positive tone, but market reactions have been mixed, with some marketing/AI growth news met by selling pressure.
Over the past few months, Dolphin highlighted several brand-building and strategic initiatives. The AI-focused Dolphin Intelligence launch on Dec 16, 2025 and a positive Q3 2025 earnings 10‑Q showed revenue of $14.8M and operating profitability, yet the stock fell 4.55% on that AI news. By contrast, a Hooters repositioning campaign from subsidiary The Door on Dec 30, 2025 coincided with a 11.36% gain. Today’s Sundance slate for 42West continues the pattern of high-profile entertainment marketing wins following earlier film ("Youngblood") and podcast recognition announcements.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights 42West’s broad presence at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, with 9 projects across 6 programming areas all seeking distribution. It builds on recent momentum from film, podcast, and AI-marketing initiatives, plus improving Q3 2025 financials with revenue of $14.8M and positive operating income. Investors may watch how many titles secure distribution and how that complements existing growth efforts and the company’s ability to convert visibility into sustained revenue.
Key Terms
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AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / The entertainment PR and marketing powerhouse 42West, a subsidiary of Dolphin (NASDAQ:DLPN), will showcase a number of impressive clients with film and television projects premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, running in Park City from January 22 to February 1.
42West's slate at Sundance features nine projects spanning six programming areas, highlighting the company's expansive presence across documentary, narrative, and episodic content. All the titles are actively seeking distribution. Premiering in the U.S. Documentary Competition are Sharon Liese's SEIZED, Rachel J.Morrison's JOYBUBBLES, and Jason Osder and William Lafi Youmans' WHO KILLED ALEX ODEH?. In the U.S. Dramatic Competition, Liz Sargent's TAKE ME HOME, starring Anna Sargent, Victor Slezack, and Ali Ahn. The NEXT program, presented by Adobe, features Valerie Veatch's documentary GHOST IN THE MACHINE and Georgia Bernstein's NIGHT NURSE, starring Cemre Paksoy, Bruce McKenzie, Eléonore Hendricks, and Mimi Rogers. In the Midnight program is Casper Kelly's BUDDY starring Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt. The Family Matinee section showcases Alysa Nahmias' COOKIE QUEENS executive produced by Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Rounding out the slate in the Episodic section is Alec Goldberg's SOFT BOIL, co-written with and starring Camille Wormser alongside John Gemberling and Madison Shamoun. 42West is also partnering with IndieWire, a leading film and television publication, to curate and book its festival programming slate, including the IndieWire Studio and Future of Filmmaking keynote and panels.
All nine projects are actively seeking distribution. 42West will work closely on the slate with numerous agencies including UTA Independent Film Group, Range Media Partners, Submarine, WME Independent, CAA Media Finance, Gersh, and MPI Media Group.
Additionally, 42West client Madison Wells is an executive producer on THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL, directed by Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry and produced by Proudfoot, Curry, and Erick Peyton, featured in the Documentary Short Film Program, that is also seeking distribution.
ABOUT 42WEST:
42West, a subsidiary of Dolphin, is one of the entertainment industry's leading full-service public-relations firms. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, 42West has four divisions: Talent, Strategic Communications, Entertainment Marketing, and Fandoms & Franchises, the award-winning firm's gaming, consumer products and publishing practice. The agency has developed and executed marketing and publicity strategies for hundreds of movies and television shows as well as countless actors, filmmakers, recording artists, personalities and authors. In addition, 42West provides strategic counsel to a wide variety of high-profile individuals and corporate clients - ranging from movie and pop stars to major studios, charitable organizations, and media conglomerates - looking to raise, reposition, or rehabilitate their public profiles.
ABOUT DOLPHIN:
Dolphin (NASDAQ: DLPN) is where cultural creation meets marketing execution. Founded in 1996 by Bill O'Dowd, Dolphin operates as both a venture studio - developing and investing in content, products, and experiences - and a marketing consortium featuring leading agencies across every communications discipline.
Dolphin's collective includes 42West, The Door, Shore Fire Media, Elle Communications, Special Projects, and The Digital Dept., delivering expertise across film, television, music, influencers, sports, hospitality, fashion, consumer brands, and purpose-driven initiatives. Dolphin marketing has received numerous industry honors, including being named the #1 Agency of the Year by the Observer, as well as inclusion on the PR Net 100 and the PR News Elite 120.
This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, Dolphin Entertainment Inc.'s offering of common stock as well as expected financial and operational results and the related assumptions underlying its expected results. These forward-looking statements are distinguished by the use of words such as "will," "would," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "designed," "plan," or "intend," the negative of these terms, and similar references to future periods. These views involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and, accordingly, Dolphin Entertainment's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in its forward-looking statements. Dolphin Entertainment's forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events Dolphin Entertainment cannot predict, including those described in the risk factors contained in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause its actual results to differ from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Although Dolphin Entertainment believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved, and Dolphin Entertainment undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
# # #
Contact:
James Carbonara
HAYDEN IR
(646)-755-7412
james@haydenir.com
SOURCE: Dolphin Entertainment
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
When will Dolphin (DLPN) subsidiary 42West present films at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival?
How many projects is 42West bringing to Sundance 2026 and are they seeking distribution?
Which 42West-supported titles are in the U.S. Documentary Competition at Sundance 2026?
What partnership did 42West announce for its 2026 Sundance programming?
Which agencies will 42West work with on the Sundance 2026 slate?
Is any 42West client credited as an executive producer on a Sundance 2026 short film?
