Florence Pugh’s The Midnight Library Ignites Cannes Bidding War

Florence Pugh has barely shown up to the 2026 Cannes market and she already has the buzziest package on the floor. Her next one is a fantasy drama called 'The Midnight Library,' and the scramble to land it is getting loud.

What it is

Garth Davis is directing an adaptation of Matt Haig's novel about a woman caught in the space between life and death who stumbles into a library where every book holds an alternate version of her life. Big feelings, big canvas, and Pugh front and center. No shock the combination is turning heads fast.

Why buyers are swarming

• Studios in the mix: Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Focus Features are all believed to be chasing it.
• What they want: domestic rights and select international territories.
• Who is holding cards: producer-financier Studiocanal is expected to keep distribution in several of its key regions.
• The price tag: an estimated budget around $70 million.
• The vibe: it's already sparked a serious bidding war and is tracking to be one of the biggest deals to come out of Cannes this year.

Why the heat now

Pugh's schedule has been expanding with both film and streaming work, and this slots right into that momentum. Add Davis behind the camera and a high-concept premise with mainstream reach, and you get exactly the kind of market package that makes buyers sharpen their pencils.

Bottom line

'The Midnight Library' is the early market rocket: a star-led, emotionally loaded fantasy with scale, a clear hook, and multiple heavyweights trying to plant their flag. Expect this one to set off fireworks before Cannes wraps.