AFI Fest Adds 'I Play Rocky,' 'Ray Gunn' to 2026 Lineup
AFI Fest has added five films to its 40th edition, including Peter Farrelly's 'I Play Rocky' and Brad Bird's animated 'Ray Gunn'. The update was reported on 25 September 2026 by The Hollywood Reporter. The list is short. The names are familiar.
'I Play Rocky', starring Anthony Ippolito, joins the Red Carpet Premieres. That section is the festival's gala slot, with a red carpet and an introduction for each screening. Farrelly directs. Ippolito leads the cast.
'Ray Gunn' joins the same Red Carpet Premieres section. It is an animated feature from Netflix. It comes from Bird and features the voices of Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell.
Three further titles join the Special Screenings section. That section sits alongside the galas and holds selected new features. Each of the three arrives with a known director and a star-led cast.
Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine' stars Sam Rockwell opposite John Malkovich. Rockwell therefore appears twice among the new additions, in voice in 'Ray Gunn' and on screen here. Florian Zeller's 'Bunker' stars Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth!' stars Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist.
The 40th AFI Fest runs 21 to 25 October at Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theatres, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That is five days in central Hollywood. The festival opens with the US premiere of Travis Knight's animated 'Wildwood'. A US premiere means the film has not screened publicly in the country before.
The edition is presented by Canva, as reported by Variety. The full programme will be unveiled on 29 September. The programme covers Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema and Documentaries. To be considered, films must have been completed or premiered after 1 October 2025.
What makes this stand out is the balance. Two animations open the red carpet push. Three live-action features follow in Special Screenings. For fans, this means five firm titles to plan around before the full list lands.
