Maude Apatow’s directorial debut finds new home following distribution turmoil
The filmmaker and actress has secured a worldwide distribution deal for her acclaimed first feature after the project was pulled from its original distributor amid reports of financial and operational problems.
Maude Apatow’s feature directorial debut Poetic License has secured a theatrical future after Sony Pictures Classics acquired worldwide rights to the film following the collapse of its original distribution arrangement with Row K Entertainment.
The actress, 28, whose acting credits include HBO’s Euphoria and films such as The King of Staten Island, premiered Poetic License at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, where it received a warm critical reception.
Her comedy-drama was initially acquired by Row K Entertainment before the distributor encountered financial difficulties and internal upheaval.
Following reports earlier this year the company had been left with unpaid bills and a series of staff departures, sales representatives at WME Independent took the film back to market. Sony Pictures Classics – the distributor behind acclaimed titles including Call Me By Your Name – has now announced it will release the film in cinemas in 2027.
Speaking in a statement announcing the acquisition, Maude said: “I grew up watching and loving the films released by Sony Pictures Classics. They shaped my understanding of what movies could be.
“To now be working alongside Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and the entire team is a dream come true.”
Poetic License stars Leslie Mann as Liz, a former therapist preparing for life as an empty nester after relocating to a new town for her husband’s job.
Her character becomes caught in an increasingly complicated relationship with college friends Sam, played by Cooper Hoffman and Ari, played by Andrew Barth Feldman, as the pair compete for her attention.
The project also marks a collaboration within one of Hollywood’s best-known filmmaking families.
Leslie stars in the film while Maude directs from a screenplay by Raffi Donatich.
Judd Apatow, Maude’s father and the filmmaker behind comedies including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Trainwreck, serves as one of the producers alongside Josh Church, Benjamin Hung, Thalia Daniel, Olivia Rosenbloom and Will Greenfield.
Maude has become widely recognised for playing Lexi Howard in Euphoria, the HBO drama that recently wrapped its third season.
Alongside her television work, Maude has increasingly shifted her focus towards writing and directing, with Poetic License representing her first feature behind the camera.
Sony Pictures Classics praised the movie and its cast in a joint statement.
The distributor said the film “marks the arrival of an exciting new chapter for filmmaker Maude Apatow, whose distinctive creative vision is evident in every frame”.
It added: “Equal parts funny and heartfelt, the film features career-best performances from Leslie Mann, Cooper Hoffman, and Andrew Barth Feldman, whose undeniable charm and chemistry light up the screen.
“We are thrilled to bring Maude’s directorial debut to theaters next year and give audiences the opportunity to experience the same magic we felt when we first saw the film.”
The acquisition follows reports published by Variety in March detailing financial problems at Row K Entertainment, prompting WME Independent to seek a new distributor for the project. Sony Pictures Classics ultimately secured worldwide rights ahead of the planned 2027 theatrical release.
Executive producers on the film include Jamal Daniel, Michelle Upton, Renee Witt, Harrison Kreiss and Jay Cassidy.
