Today, Apple Original Films announced it has landed the global rights to “Sponsor.” Apple Studios will produce the new feature starring Jason Segel and directed by James Ponsoldt. Set to be shot in California, the film hails from an original idea co-written by Segel and Ponsoldt, who also serve as executive producers on Apple’s Emmy Award-nominated comedy “Shrinking.”
In “Sponsor,” Peter (Segel) makes a big mistake when he gets behind the wheel after partying too hard. A terrible accident leaves him with a choice: prison or a recovery program. Convinced he doesn’t have a drinking problem, he begrudgingly shows up to his first meeting and searches for a sponsor. In walks no-nonsense, charismatic yet enigmatic Jerry. Peter is convinced Jerry is the answer to his prayers.
Hailing from Apple Studios and produced by Platinum Dunes, “Sponsor” will be produced by Segel and Ponsoldt, and Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Alex Ginno will produce for Platinum Dunes. The film marks the latest collaboration for Apple, Segel and Ponsoldt following Emmy Award-nominated comedy “Shrinking,” which returns for its third season on January 28, 2026. Segel and Ponsoldt also previously collaborated on the 2015 feature “The End of the Tour,” in which Segel starred and Ponsoldt directed.
“Sponsor” will join a growing slate of award-winning and global hit Apple Original Films, including “F1 The Movie,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time, set to make its global debut on Apple TV on December 12, 2025. In addition to Apple TV making history as the first streaming service to land the Academy Award for Best Picture with “CODA,” Apple Original Film “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” also earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” landed 10 historic Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Apple Original Films also recently premiered “The Lost Bus,” an emotional, action-packed rescue drama directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Greengrass, and starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera; “Highest 2 Lowest,” the latest feature reuniting Spike Lee with Denzel Washington for the fifth time; Emmy Award nominee “The Gorge,” starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy; “Wolfs,” starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt; “The Instigators,” starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck; Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen’s “Blitz”; and “Echo Valley,” the thriller from BAFTA Award winner Michael Pearce, starring Academy Award winner Julianne Moore and multi-Emmy Award nominee Sydney Sweeney.
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 633 wins and 2,846 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
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