Lewis Pullman Leads Wishful Thinking to Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics picked up worldwide rights to Wishful Thinking, the Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke rom-com that premiered at SXSW. The deal gives Graham Parkes’ directorial debut a distributor before its planned 2027 theatrical release.
SXSW debut for Parkes
Wishful Thinking centers on Julia, a frustrated video game designer, and Charlie, a struggling musician, whose volatile relationship starts sending supernatural shocks through the world after a couples therapy seminar. That premise, built around a debut feature, is the kind of offbeat indie package distributors often chase after a festival launch.
The film stars Pullman and Hawke, with Amita Rao, Randall Park, Eric Rahill, Jake Shane, Kate Berlant and Kerri Kenney-Silver also in the cast. Pullman also shares producer credits with Dan Gedman, Matt Smith and Kara Durrett, while Alyssa Roehrenbeck, Sarah Mather, Jessamine Burgum, Cameron Fuller and Graham Patrick Martin are executive producers.
Deal through UTA Independent Film Group
The worldwide rights purchase came together between Sony Pictures Classics and UTA Independent Film Group, which represented the filmmakers. That kind of sale matters because it locks in a release path early, instead of leaving a festival title to hunt for distribution after the buzz fades.
Sony Pictures Classics said on Friday that it plans to release the movie theatrically in 2027. Graham Parkes called the company “a singular champion of independent cinema for nearly 35 years,” and said inclusion among its films is “truly the ultimate recognition for the passionate work our cast and crew put into making Wishful Thinking.”
Pullman and Hawke
The cast pairing already drew attention in the SXSW review, where Angie Han wrote that “The strong chemistry between Pullman and Hawke ensures that even at their worst, Charlie and Julia never come across as hateful. Their jabs come from a place of wounded love, not cruelty or contempt, and they’re never so furious that they can’t make each other laugh by trying to sexy dance [their] way out of this, swaying their hips to ’80s synth-pop classics.”
Sony Pictures Classics framed the acquisition as a response to demand for a romantic comedy that is “romantic, unpredictable and genuinely funny.” With the rights sold and a 2027 theatrical rollout set, the film now moves from festival item to studio-backed release, and Pullman’s producer credit puts him on both sides of the transaction.
