Academy Museum unveils spring 2026 slate with Bong Joon Ho, David Fincher and retrospectives

The Academy Museum unveiled its spring 2026 slate on Feb. 27, locking in a two-day Weekend With Bong Joon Ho on April 11 and 12 that will bring David Fincher for a public conversation and add objects from Mickey 17 to the museum’s exhibition on April 11. The high-profile pairing signals a push to turn exhibition programming into must-see, ticketed events that blur the line between museum show and live film festival experience.

The calendar centers on auteur-focused programming. A Lifetime of Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho runs March 23 through May 29 and will gather the classic films and posters that shaped the director’s sensibility. The April weekend pairs Fincher and Bong for a screening of Fincher’s Zodiac on April 11, followed by a screening of Bong’s Mickey 17 on April 12, with the film’s production objects slated to join the museum’s gallery displays. Those moments are designed to convert casual museumgoers into deeper, repeat visitors by offering in-person encounters with filmmakers alongside tangible exhibition tie-ins.

The spring slate also foregrounds preservation and communal cinema. Darkness and Humanity presents the complete Akira Kurosawa film series on 35mm, an archival statement in an era dominated by digital exhibition. Family-oriented offerings include Hayao Miyazaki matinees and workshops, and the museum will mark the opening of Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon on May 31 with a screening of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Education programming continues to be a priority: the free annual Careers in Film Summit will feature Q&As with Academy members and industry professionals, including Jessica Alba and Carlos Lopez Estrada, while a March 21 event titled Inside Jaws features screenwriter and Academy member Nia Vardalos leading a 30-minute tour and brief Q&A about structuring feature scripts.

Amy Homma, Director and President of the Academy Museum and Academy Collection, framed the season as both retrospective and pipeline builder. "We are thrilled to offer visitors an exciting lineup of programming this spring that celebrates the history of film while championing future filmmakers," she said. "From unique screenings accompanied by conversations with some of the most prolific filmmakers, to family-friendly workshops, and exciting new exhibitions, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy."

The programming mix reflects broader industry trends: cultural institutions are increasingly leveraging celebrity-driven programming and exhibition tie-ins to create differentiated live experiences that cannot be replicated on streaming platforms. Pairings like Bong and Fincher offer earned-media moments and sponsorship potential while retrospectives on Kurosawa and curated object displays strengthen a museum’s curatorial authority and archival mission. For the local economy, such lineups can boost museum attendance, hospitality spending and membership conversions, particularly when marquee names appear in person.

There are also social implications. The prominence of international auteurs and family-friendly titles signals an effort to broaden audiences and highlight global filmmaking lineages, while free career summits address workforce pipeline and access into Hollywood’s gatekept professions. The Academy Museum’s spring slate readies Los Angeles for a season in which museums act as both cultural preservers and active players in the film industry’s ecosystem.