David Wains New Comedy Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass Opens in U.S. Theaters July 10

A fresh, low‑budget comedy is set to hit U.S. screens this summer, bringing director David Wain back to the big screen with Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. The film will open in theaters nationwide on Friday, July 10, 2026, under the banner of Sony Pictures Classics.

The story follows Gail Daughtry, a Midwest hairdresser whose world turns upside down when her fiancé uses a coveted “celebrity pass” to meet a star in Los Angeles. Feeling betrayed and fueled by a mix of revenge and romance, Gail decides to follow the same path, chasing a celebrity crush and discovering a new sense of agency along the way. Zoey Deutch stars as the title character, with Jon Hamm playing the celebrity she seeks. The supporting cast features Kerri Kenney, Ken Marino, John Slattery, and Elizabeth Banks.

Gail Daughtry premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, where it screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section. Critics praised the film’s sharp dialogue and the ensemble’s performances, noting that its absurdist humor feels both fresh and rooted in Wain’s signature style.

Wain, best known for his work with the sketch‑comedy troupe The State, has directed six feature films, including Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and They Came Together (2014). He co‑wrote the new feature with frequent collaborator Ken Marino, whose past projects include Role Models (2008) and Wanderlust (2012). In an ABC Audio interview, Wain explained the difficulty of casting the lead: “We wrote such a crazy dumb script and we knew it wouldn’t work as a movie unless we had someone at the center of it that could really bring heart and grounding to it.” He added that Deutch was the only actor who could meet the role’s demands.

Deutch, born in 1994, has built a diverse career across film, television, and streaming. She earned early recognition in the independent comedy Set It Up (2018) and the horror‑comedy Zombieland: Double Tap (2019). In 2026 she also leads the Netflix series Voicemails for Isabelle and voices a character in the animated film Minions & Monsters. In the same interview, Deutch praised Wain’s humor: “I love their sense of humor. I love their world that they've created and how specific it is to them. It’s always impressive to me when an artist carves out their own space in the world and then sticks to it with such integrity.”

Sony Pictures Classics will handle the film’s U.S. distribution, following a traditional theatrical window that begins on July 10. The release will sit alongside other mid‑budget comedies in the summer lineup, though its Sundance pedigree may attract a niche audience familiar with Wain’s earlier work.

The marketing campaign is still in its early stages. A teaser trailer was released in late May, and no box‑office projections have been announced. Industry observers note that the film’s performance will largely hinge on audience reception during its opening weekend.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass marks Wain’s return to theatrical filmmaking after years focused on television projects such as Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. With Deutch’s rising profile and the film’s festival credentials, the comedy is positioned to be a notable entry in the 2026 slate.