Roadside Attractions and Vertical Land Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick's 'Babies' Ahead of TIFF World Premiere
Roadside Attractions and Vertical have acquired U.S. rights to Babies, a comedy starring Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick, marking the first U.S. deal tied to a world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (Deadline).
The film, written and directed by Lauren Miller Rogen, follows a happily married couple whose indecision about having children is thrown into sharp relief when their divorced friend, played by Kate Berlant, moves in with her daughter. The ensemble cast also includes Issa Rae, Dan Stevens, Zach Cherry, Ed Helms, Ashley Park, Sharon Stone, and David Strathairn.
TIFF 2026 opens on 10 September, and Babies will have its world premiere at Roy Thomson Hall on 12 September — a gala slot that places it squarely in the festival's spotlight. The premiere falls exactly one year after AGC Studios and CAA Media Finance launched worldwide sales on the title at a distributor presentation during TIFF 2025. In the film business, a sales launch at one festival and a world premiere at the next is a common one-year arc: the project is pitched to international buyers, financing closes, production completes, and the finished film returns to the marketplace.
Monarch Media and AGC Studios co-financed and produced Babies alongside LYLAS Pictures. Producers are Lauren Miller Rogen and Jen W. Ray for LYLAS, Steve Barnett for Monarch, and Stuart Ford for AGC. Executive producers include Vicky Patel and Alan Powell of Monarch, Miguel A. Palos Jr. and Zach Garrett of AGC, and Sophie Høegh of LYLAS.
Behind the camera, the below-the-line team carries serious credits. Cinematographer Eduard Grau, editor Joi McMillon, production designer Julie Berghoff, costume designer Danny Glicker, casting directors Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu, and composer Nami Melumad round out the production. The deal was negotiated by Roadside's Howard Cohen, Vertical's Peter Jarowey, and AGC's Anant Tamirisa, with CAA Media Finance representing the filmmakers.
A theatrical release is being eyed for 2027, though no specific date has been set. Roadside Attractions and Vertical — a pairing that has become a familiar combination for U.S. independent acquisitions — will handle distribution. Roadside, based in Los Angeles, has built its name on specialised and independent releases; Vertical operates across both theatrical and home entertainment, and the two have frequently shared titles to pool marketing reach.
For audiences, the appeal is straightforward: Rogen and Kendrick in a comedy about parenthood indecision, backed by a deep supporting cast. The TIFF premiere on 12 September will be the first public screening, with reviews and festival reception to follow.
