SXSW buzz: Pretty Lethal
At SXSW, Uma Thurman praised the young cast of Pretty Lethal for 'mind‑blowing' stunt work, framing the film as a bold, female‑led action spectacle (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). Critics at the fest called it energetic and stylish, with Iris Apatow’s performance and the stunt choreography getting special notice (cinemascholars.com).
Pretty Lethal had its world premiere at SXSW on March 13, 2026 in the Paramount Theatre as a headliner screening. (sxsw.com) Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video scheduled the film for a worldwide streaming release on March 25, 2026. (press.amazonmgmstudios.com) The title is listed on Prime Video with an 88‑minute runtime and carries an R rating. (primevideo.com) (news18.com) The film was produced by 87North Productions and Gulfstream Pictures, with producers credited including Kelly McCormick, Mike Karz, William Bindley and Piers Tempest. (press.amazonmgmstudios.com) 87North, the action outfit co‑founded by David Leitch and Kelly McCormick, is billed on promotional materials as backing the project. (87north.com) The movie’s physical vocabulary was built around a ballet‑first approach: Will Tuckett served as lead choreographer while Shahaub Roudbari is credited as stunt designer and coordinator, Adam Horton as supervising stunt coordinator, and Gary Cothenet as fight choreographer. (tvtonight.com) (metacritic.com) Cast preparation included an intensive ballet‑and‑stunt boot camp in Budapest, with Maddie Ziegler reporting roughly three weeks of combined ballet and stunt rehearsals. (deadline.com) (msn.com) Production used Budapest locations and, according to local reporting, leaned on industrial sites such as the Csepel Művek complex for the film’s high‑stakes sequences. (budapestreporter.com) Reviews from SXSW trended mixed: Variety called the film a “ballet action romp with limited imagination,” The Hollywood Reporter said Thurman was underutilized, Deadline praised its female‑led action energy, and Vulture reported strong audience reaction at the premiere. (variety.com) (hollywoodreporter.com) (deadline.com) (vulture.com)
