After its inaugural launch in 2025, SXSW London returns to East London from June 1 to June 6, 2026, with a scaled-up edition expected to host over 20,000 visitors, 800 speakers, 200 music artists, and 100 film screenings. The lineup is set to include the premiere of Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, alongside growing MCU buzz, with speculation around a possible Avengers: Doomsday presence in the event.

With such a sprawling mix of premieres, performances, and industry moments packed into a single week, the festival raises one big question: what exactly can audiences expect from SXSW London 2026? From film debuts and major studio whispers to immersive tech showcases and live music takeovers, this year’s edition promises a city-wide cultural experiment unfolding across East London’s most iconic creative spaces. So, let’s dive into everything that has been revealed so far in a complete breakdown ahead of the festival.

SXSW London 2026 is stacking its Main Stage with a bold mix of star-driven comedies, genre experiments, and prestige adaptations. Olivia Wilde leads the charge with The Invite, a buzzy new comedy that brings her both behind and in front of the camera, setting the tone for a slate that leans heavily into sharp dialogue and chaotic human dynamics.

Things take a darker, more stylized turn with Teenage S*x and Death at Camp Miasma, directed by Jane Schoenbrun. Described as an “ode to slasher movies and queer lust,” the film stars Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson in a psychologically charged genre piece that blends horror aesthetics with emotional intensity. In contrast, Marc by Sofia marks Sofia Coppola’s first full-length documentary feature, offering a more intimate, observational shift in tone.

Literary adaptation enters the spotlight with Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day, directed by Tina Gharavi, reimagining Woolf’s 1919 novel as a modern romantic comedy and serving as the festival’s official opening night film on Monday, June 1, 2026. Meanwhile, Over Your Dead Body brings a genre mash-up of comedic thriller and meta-horror, led by Samara Weaving and Jason Segel, while Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters injects sci-fi comedy energy with Keke Palmer at the center of its world.

The festival also leans into nostalgia and cinematic legacy with a major Avengers: Infinity War retrospective screening scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026, a mid-week centerpiece event. This special event includes an extended live masterclass with directors Anthony and Joe Russo, offering rare insight into one of Marvel’s most culturally defining films. Adding to the speculation storm, the Russo Brothers have hinted at a special SXSW presence for Avengers: Doomsday via Instagram, fueled further by its proximity to Pinewood Studios.

SXSW London 2026 also features the animated series Get Jiro, based on Anthony Bourdain’s graphic novel, set in a near-future world where chefs hold power and food is currency, Savage House, a dark satire starring Claire Foy and Richard E. Grant, and Intelligence Rising, a documentary exploring the real-world impact of artificial intelligence through simulated debates between technologists, generals, and philosophers.

Adding a conceptual layer to the lineup, The AI Doc (Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist), directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell and produced by Jonathan Wang and Daniel Kwan, explores the cultural upheaval triggered by generative technologies, positioning AI itself as both subject and spectacle.

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The international feature slate includes films like A South Facing Window (France/Mongolia), Acid City (US), and All Night Wrong (Canada/US) that reflect a strong mix of emerging voices and genre experimentation.

The SXSW London 2026 Music Festival unfolds across four high-intensity days, running from Tuesday, June 2 to Friday, June 5, 2026. In this tightly packed window, more than 200 global and underground acts will take over 20+ iconic nightlife venues, each reimagined as curated showcase spaces that transform East London into a continuous live music circuit.

The festival opens on Tuesday, June 2, with a bold mix of hip-hop, electronic, and ambient sounds setting the tone. Earl Sweatshirt headlines the day, joined by Sega Bodega, who performs a custom ambient set titled “I Brought You To The Church To Watch Me Play My Ambient Album By The Altar,” adding a striking atmospheric layer to the programme. Fraser T Smith’s Future Utopia project also features, with Jax Jones performing an exclusive session for delegates and full pass holders. The featured artist lineup expands the palette further, including YUNJIN, Cure for Paranoia, BrokenPen, Gaia, 2Spade, Bojvck, Kimmy Gone, Nonô, Rom Baawla, Sofia Monroy, Hanakiv, and a DJ Co.kr B2B H4rdy set, creating a debut day that blends experimentation with global club energy.

On Wednesday, June 3, the focus shifts into indie, pop, and genre-blending fusion. Rachel Chinouriri leads the day alongside Circa Waves, Infinity Song, Gilles Peterson, and DJ AG, with Gilles Peterson also hosting an exclusive delegate session exploring curation and music culture. The supporting lineup continues to widen the spectrum, featuring Oxlade, Jords, GAIA, Cordelia, Amaka, Chavez Cartel, DJ Puffy, Jerome Thomas, Kyra, Lamaya, Oscar Blue, Psweatpants, and Sophie Faith, forming a day shaped by melodic experimentation and evolving pop sensibilities.

Thursday, June 4, brings a surge of global rhythms, grime, and Afrobeats influence. Tiwa Savage headlines the day alongside Odumodublvck and Amaria BB, anchoring a lineup deeply rooted in contemporary African and UK urban sounds. The featured artists include Iyamah, Finn Askew, House Gospel Choir, Jabulile Majola, James Thompson, Hoax, PS Hitsquad, Rabbit Cult, Ranj x Clifr, Samory I, and a Whiney B2B Hugh Hardie set, with Zero T also joining the bill. 

The festival closes on Friday, June 5, with a heavier, more abrasive edge, leaning into post-punk, bass, and rock textures. Shame and OOAB lead the final day’s lineup, bringing a raw and high-energy finish to the week. Supporting acts such as Bex, Hana Lili, Dream State, Honey I’m Home, High Regard, Jedsoul, Big Zeeks, Devaura, Dyvr, RTKAL, Mayhem Nodb, TMDISTANT, and VNSA add to the intensity, closing SXSW London 2026 on a note of distortion, catharsis, and sonic release.

The SXSW London 2026 Conference brings together a dynamic mix of high-profile policymakers, tech leaders, and creative industry voices, including a special deep dive into animation innovation with “Toys Meets Tech: The New Technologies of Toy Story 5,” where VFX supervisor Thomas Jordan explores the cutting-edge tools, animation techniques, advanced lighting systems, and production rigs used to bring the latest installment of Toy Story to life while streamlining workflows and enhancing storytelling.

Kicking off the high-level discourse, Nick Clegg, former UK Deputy Prime Minister and now General Partner at Hiro Capital, delivers a keynote exploring global tech policy, infrastructure regulation, and the rising tensions around tech sovereignty. Bloomberg columnist Parmy Olsen follows with a provocative featured session titled “Technofeudalists Have Taken Over – What’s Next?”, unpacking how Silicon Valley giants have evolved into modern economic empires reshaping democratic systems and wealth distribution.

From the world of decentralized technology, Rose Wang, COO of Bluesky, presents a forward-looking keynote on the rapid rise of user-owned social networks and the architecture of digital communities built outside traditional platform control. Meanwhile, Mike Skinner of The Streets joins broadcaster Jill Scott MBE for a cross-cultural session focused on creative longevity, independent media, and building trust with modern audiences.

The business of connection and attention takes centre stage next, as Jackie Jantos (CEO of Hinge) and Cindy Rose (CEO of WPP) break down the evolving metrics of digital relationships and the expanding influence of AI-driven advertising ecosystems. On a more personal and culturally defining note, Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson headline one of the festival’s most anticipated moments with a live recording of their IMO podcast, offering an intimate conversation on leadership, identity, and public life.

Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) delivers on building “real good” AI and the evolving landscape of independent filmmaking, following the success of his self-financed sci-fi horror film Iron Lung, Tom Quinn, co-founder and CEO of NEON, takes the stage to discuss the rise of one of modern cinema’s most influential indie studios, who is known for titles like Parasite, Anora, and Longlegs, and actress, producer, and investor Sophia Bush headlines the conference segment titled "Aging, Health & Power," which focuses on midlife, women's health, and personal empowerment.

Further deep dives into technology and governance come from Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese software developer and civic tech pioneer, who explores internet freedom, open-source systems, and digital transparency in modern governments. Adding a narrative and cultural lens, Russell T Davies takes the stage for a career-spanning reflection on the evolution of screenwriting, from Queer as Folk to Doctor Who, and the shifting landscape of television storytelling.

Closing out the lineup of headline voices, Ant & Dec bring their decades of entertainment experience into a dedicated session on audience building, modern engagement, and the changing face of digital broadcasting, rounding off a conference track that moves fluidly between politics, technology, and pop culture. These are the major highlights set to unfold at SXSW London 2026, and there’s plenty for fans to look forward to.

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What are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.