John C. Reilly Joins Jason Segel in Apple Original Psychological Thriller SPONSOR
Academy Award nominee John C. Reilly (Step Brothers, Chicago, Stan & Ollie) has joined the cast of Sponsor, Apple Original Films’ psychological thriller starring and co-written by Jason Segel. Reilly will play Jerry, the titular sponsor to Segel’s Peter.
Based on an original idea co-written by Segel and his Shrinking collaborator James Ponsoldt, Sponsor watches as 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 the no-nonsense, charismatic yet enigmatic Jerry, who Peter becomes convinced is the answer to his prayers.
Set to shoot in California, the project hails from Apple Studios and will be produced by Platinum Dunes. Segel and Ponsoldt are producing alongside Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Alex Ginno for Platinum Dunes.
Most recently, Reilly has been seen playing famed former Lakers owner Jerry Buss in HBO’s series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
He’ll be seen next in the David Leitch-helmed heist film How to Rob a Bank, which Amazon MGM Studios releases on September 4, 2026, as well as the survival thriller A Prayer for the Dying opposite Johnny Flynn.
via: Deadline