TIFF 2026: Toronto festival previews Musk documentary, horror series and Laika's new film

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is underway this week, showcasing a wide range of upcoming films and series, with daily short reviews being published by a festival attendee covering the event.

One of the most anticipated premieres is director Alex Gibney's documentary "Musk," a nearly four-hour chronicle of Elon Musk's rise from dot-com entrepreneur to a figure with influence over US government departments. The film covers Musk's early career milestones as well as controversial moments, including a fatal crash involving a Tesla on autopilot. According to the review, the documentary is thorough and compelling, but may not reveal much new to viewers already familiar with Musk's controversial influence, while its demanding runtime could be a barrier for others.

Other festival highlights

Also praised at the festival is the hitman thriller "Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother," starring Mahershala Ali and directed by Bassam Tariq — the same pair who had been attached to Marvel's troubled Blade reboot before it fell apart. Laika Studios' upcoming stop-motion fantasy film "Wildwood" also drew attention for its technical and artistic polish, continuing the animation house's track record with films like "Kubo and the Two Strings."

The festival is also previewing several upcoming streaming series, including Netflix's "Below," Peacock's "Crystal Lake," and Amazon's new adaptation of "Carrie." The reviewer aims to watch close to 30 films and series over the course of the week, publishing brief write-ups on each.