2026 finds comedy at a moment of reinvention across platforms.

The last decade has seen stand-up boom, with artists able to bootstrap their own careers like never before. TV comedy has enjoyed a golden moment of its own, though feature comedy continues to struggle to regain its footing as a theatrical entity.

Rather than waiting for opportunities from traditional gatekeepers, creators are increasingly building and financing their own projects — bringing hard-won digital audiences into the traditional space as a bargaining chip. Meanwhile, new incubators are emerging outside established systems in hopes of nurturing the next generation of comedy stars.

The moment presents plenty of questions: What has led to the decline of theatrical comedy? If an “event” is what’s needed to get people to theaters, what does that look like for comedy? How much are stand-ups buying into the traditional space, in a moment when more than ever are making a killing on the road?

Have streamers been good or bad for comedy overall? And where will the next big breakthrough comedies come from?

On July 22, at the kickoff event for Just For Laughs Montreal‘s ComedyPRO, Deadline brought together three creatives representing distinct vantage points within the comedy ecosystem, in an attempt to address these questions: Reg Tigerman, the manager-producer who recently launched The Laugh List, a new survey of the year’s best unproduced comedy screenplays, in association with JFL; Maureen Taran, a former Just For Laughs VP who has been tapped to lead a new original content division for Helium; and Danny Jolles, a comedian, actor, writer and creator of the special What Happens in a Year, which premiered at this year’s festival.

In conversation with Deadline, the trio discusses everything from studio mandates and comedy clubs as incubators for new formats to the blurring lines between YouTube and Netflix, development pet peeves, comedy disruptors, corporate mergers, the mental-health challenges facing today’s stand-ups and more.

Check out the full talk above.

Kumail Nanjiani is set to make his directorial debut with the upcoming horror comedy “Howl,” which has been acquired by Amazon MGM’s Orion Pictures with the comedian also set to star and produce.

Written by Madison Vanderberg, “Howl” will see Nanjiani play a troubled actor who makes a bombshell announcement on a talk show: he’s a werewolf, and he is going to transform in one hour on live TV. Vanderberg’s screenplay was selected for the Black List in 2024.

Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, will produce through their Winter Coat Films banner alongside Dani Melia. Weed Road Pictures’ Akiva Goldsman, Greg Lessans and Rachel Wizenberg will also produce with Wizenberg overseeing the project.

Nanjiani most recently received a Golden Globe nomination for his Hulu comedy special “Night Thoughts” and appeared on the 21st season of the hit British comedy series “Taskmaster.” He and Gordon are currently adapting the comic book series “Sex Criminals,” which was picked up by Amazon MGM alongside the comedy film “Compulsive Liar,” which Nanjiani will co-write and produce.

Nanjiani is also set to appear in the upcoming fourth season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” the FX series “Very Young Frankenstein,” and Judd Apatow’s upcoming comedy feature “The Comeback King.” He and Gordon are repped by UTA, Mosaic, and Schreck Rose. 

At Weed Road, Goldsman’s upcoming series include, ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,’ ‘Land of the Giants’ and ‘The Time Tunnel.’ He is repped by CAA, TFC Management, and Hansen Jacobsen Teller. 

Vanderberg is a former entertainment news and pop culture writer. She is currently writing the feature comedy ‘Corporate Retreat’ for Netflix.

The project was first reported by Deadline.

EXCLUSIVE: Writer-director Will Graham has wrapped on their Vietnam War thriller Trust the Man, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff, which we can tell you first, will also star Kate Mara (A Teacher), Finn Wittrock (Don’t Move), Justice Smith (Now You See Me: Now You Don’t), Victor Garber (Not Suitable for Work), Angus O’Brien (Boots), and Jack Ball (Chicago P.D.).

Character details for the newcomers are being kept under wraps.

Shot in New Jersey over the summer, Trust the Man follows an ambitious Army Intelligence officer who’s assigned to investigate a decorated soldier with a mysterious past during the Vietnam War. As surveillance and interrogation deepen, the line between loyalty and obsession blurs, leading both men into a dangerous and uncontrollable connection.

Producers include Graham, Tonia Davis and Max Linsky for Invitation Media; Luke Rodgers; and Alex G. Scott. Jess Hackel and Jeffrey Penman co-produce, with executive producers including Radcliffe, Christian Hall for Two Independent Eyes; Molly C. Quinn, Matthew M. Welty and Elan Gale for QWGmire; David Gendron, Ali Jazayeri, and Stefan Klink for Three Point Capital; Jeffrey Soros, and Hailey Wierengo.

UTA Independent Film Group is repping domestic rights, with Neon International handling international sales.

Most recently seen in Apple TV’s Imperfect Women and FX’s A Teacher, Mara will next be seen starring in Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, which is set to premiere in competition at this year’s Venice Film Festival. She is repped by CAA, Untitled, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Wittrock is currently in theaters with the indie drama Westhampton, has the rom-com All That She Wants premiering at TIFF, and Hershey in theaters this Thanksgiving. He is repped by CAA, Mosaic, Weissenbach Management, and Shreck Rose Dapello.

Most recently seen starring in Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, Smith will next be seen starring alongside Nick Jonas, Kathryn Newton and KJ Apa in the holiday horror film White Elephant. He is repped by WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

A six-time Emmy and four-time Tony Award nominee, Garber can currently be seen on Mindy Kaling’s Hulu series Not Suitable for Work and has Netflix’s Eloise coming up. He is repped by Paradigm, Amplified, and OAZ.

Seen on shows like Elsbeth, Boots and FBI, O’Brien is repped by Paradigm.

An alum of Chicago Justice and Chicago P.D., Ball is repped by Stewart Talent and Darlene Kaplan Entertainment.