Mubi Buys Lukas Dhont’s War Drama

Mubi has picked up Lukas Dhont’s next film, Coward, across multiple territories, signaling early confidence in one of the most closely watched follow-ups in international cinema.

The deal covers several markets, including the U.K., Australia, and Germany, according to reports tied to the announcement. That gives Mubi a strong footprint for a film that already arrives with momentum: Dhont follows Close, the Oscar-nominated drama that cemented him as a filmmaker distributors and festival programmers track closely.

Mubi’s move puts immediate weight behind a film that pairs a high-profile director with a stark World War I setting.

Coward marks a tonal and historical shift for Dhont. The film is described as a period drama set in the trenches of World War I, a backdrop that suggests a more expansive canvas while keeping the emotional intensity that has defined his work. Few concrete story details have surfaced so far, but the setting alone positions the project inside a crowded but enduring conversation about war, trauma, and memory on screen.

For Mubi, the acquisition fits a broader strategy: build a curated slate around filmmakers with strong festival and awards credibility, then use targeted international releases to turn prestige into audience attention. For Dhont, it means his next feature enters the market with meaningful distribution support before many viewers know much about it beyond the premise and the pedigree.

What happens next will likely depend on festival positioning, release timing, and how much more the filmmakers reveal in the months ahead. But the core point already stands: a major specialty distributor has staked an early claim on Coward, and that raises expectations for how far Dhont’s next film could travel — both commercially and in the wider awards conversation.