Apple Boards Platinum Dunes Thriller ‘Sponsor’, Reuniting With ‘Shrinking’ Star Jason Segel And Director James Ponsoldt
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EXCLUSIVE:Keeping up its strong ties withShrinkingtalentsJason Segel andJames Ponsoldt,Apple Original Films has landed global rights to the psychological thrillerSponsor,with Segel set to star and Ponsoldt directing. Apple Studios will also produce the new feature that is set to be shot in California.
The film hails from an original idea co-written by Segel and Ponsoldt, who also serve as executive producers on Apple’s Emmy-nominated comedyShrinking, which returns for its third season in January 2026. The pair previously collaborated on the 2015 featureThe End of the Tour, which Ponsoldt directed and in which Segel starred as writer David Foster Wallace.
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Sponsor follows Peter (Segel), who makes a big mistake when he gets behind the wheel after partying too hard. A terrible accident leaves him with a choice: prison or a recovery program. Convinced he doesn’t have a drinking problem, he begrudgingly shows up to his first meeting and searches for a sponsor. In walks the no-nonsense, charismatic yet enigmatic Jerry. Peter is convinced Jerry is the answer to his prayers.
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Hailing from Apple Studios and produced by Platinum Dunes, the pic will be produced by Segel and Ponsoldt as well as Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Alex Ginno who will produce for Platinum Dunes.
Segel is currently in production on Marc Forster’s Anxious Peopleopposite Angelina Jolie and will next star in Jorma Taccone’s featureOver Your Dead Body, which IFC will release in 2026.
Segel is repped by UTA, Ocean Avenue and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Ponsodlt is repped by UTA and Brillstein Partners. UTA also brokered acquisition deal.
The pic will join a growing slate of award-winning and hit Apple Original Films includingF1: The Movie, the highest-grossing sports feature of all time, which set to make its global debut on Apple TV on December 12.
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1 Comment
- Anonymous
Wow, yeah.. Michael Bay.. great match for the material, guys. When I think moving dramatic character movies, I always think Bay.
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