Mubi Acquires Lukas Dhont's WWI Drama 'Coward' Across U.K., Germany, and Multiple Territories Ahead of Cannes Competition Premiere

Mubi has acquired multiple territorial rights to Belgian director Lukas Dhont's World War I drama "Coward," securing distribution across the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and additional international markets ahead of the film's world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, according to reports published Wednesday by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

The Details

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Mubi acquired Lukas Dhont's film "Coward" for the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, Ireland, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. The publication specified that the deal covers these multiple territories across Europe, the British Isles, Australasia, and Latin America. Variety independently reported that Mubi acquired all rights to "Coward" for the same territories, corroborating both the scope and the geographic breadth of the acquisition. Both publications described the deal as a pre-Cannes acquisition finalized ahead of the film's festival debut. The territorial spread represents a significant commitment by the distributor ahead of the film's unveiling at the festival.

"Coward" is described by both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety as Dhont's follow-up to his Oscar-nominated film "Close." The film is a World War I-set period drama centered on two soldiers, Pierre and Francis, who stage a theatre show to escape the horrors of war. This premise, involving the two soldiers and their theatrical staging amid wartime conditions, was reported by both publications as the central narrative of the film. The World War I setting and the focus on the two soldiers' theatrical production distinguish the film within the director's body of work. Both sources characterized the project as a period drama with a theatrical conceit set against the backdrop of armed conflict.

The Cannes Film Festival's official 2026 selection announcement lists "Coward" by Lukas Dhont in the competition lineup. Screen Daily reported that Cannes programmers added the film to competition after seeing it late in the selection process. Screen Daily also reported that The Match Factory is selling the title internationally. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mubi's sales arm The Match Factory is handling world sales for the film. The Hollywood Reporter additionally reported that Mubi would detail release plans at a later time. No specific information regarding theatrical or streaming rollout schedules, or the format of the release, was available in the sourced reports at the time of publication.

Context

Variety reported that Mubi also acquired Dhont's 2022 Cannes title "Close," which later received an Oscar nomination for best international feature. This prior acquisition establishes a continuing relationship between the director and the distributor across multiple projects. The connection was noted by Variety in its coverage of the "Coward" deal, framing the new acquisition within the context of their ongoing professional collaboration. The earlier film's recognition by the Academy Awards provides a point of reference for Dhont's previous work with the distributor. The acquisition of "Close" and now "Coward" represents a sustained distribution partnership between the filmmaker and the company.

Screen Daily reported that Cannes programmers only saw "Coward" the day before announcing the official lineup. This late viewing followed industry speculation that the film might not be ready in time for the festival's selection process. The addition to the competition slate reflects the programmers' decision to include the film after viewing the completed work. This late addition was noted by Screen Daily as part of the broader announcement of the 2026 official selection. The timing of the programmers' viewing and their subsequent decision to place the film in competition was reported by Screen Daily as a notable element of the selection announcement.

Lukas Dhont is identified in the reports as the director and co-writer of "Coward." He is previously known for the Cannes titles "Girl" and "Close," according to The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily. The Belgian filmmaker's latest work will now be distributed across multiple acquired Mubi territories following its festival debut in competition. The reports note his role as both director and co-writer of the new film, continuing his practice of involvement in the writing process of his projects. His previous Cannes selections established him as a regular presence in the festival's programming.

What's Next

Mubi has not announced specific release dates or rollout details for the territories covered by the acquisition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the company will detail release plans later. The film is scheduled to have its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival later in May. No scheduling or distribution timelines have been disclosed at the time of reporting. The specific format, timing, and approach to the release across the acquired markets remain to be announced by Mubi. The announcement of release plans is expected to come after the Cannes premiere, based on the reporting from The Hollywood Reporter.