Jason Segel to Lead James Ponsoldt Thriller ‘Sponsor,’ Selling at Cannes

Jason Segel has booked the lead role in a new psychological thriller from his “Shrinking” director James Ponsoldt.

Segel will be put through the ringer in “Sponsor,” a nail-biter about a drunk driver whose court-ordered recovery program introduces him to an enigmatic 12-step guru — one who slowly drags him into a “living hell.”

The package comes from Platinum Dunes, the creatives behind “A Quiet Place” and “The Purge,” and will launch sales this week out of the Cannes Film Festival via UTA Independent Film Group and MK2. Ponsoldt directs from a script he co-wrote with Segel.

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“We set out to explore what happens when support becomes control — when the person you turn to for salvation slowly becomes your worst nightmare,” Segel and Ponsoldt said in joint statement. “After collaborating on ‘Shrinking,’ we were excited to channel that same emotional intimacy into a psychological thriller, where the stakes are darker, more dangerous, and deeply personal. We can’t wait to bring this unsettling story to life with such an incredible team.”

Segel will star as Peter, whose severe car crash under the influence leads him to choose between prison or a recovery program. There he meets Jerry (a role currently being cast), whose unconventional approach to sobriety leads Peter to the darkest possible places.

Platinum Dunes’ Brad Fuller said his team “loved the twists and turns as well as the inside look at the world of recovery. Moreover, Jason and James’ work together speaks volumes.”

Segel is represented by UTA, Ocean Avenue, law firm Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern, and Independent Public Relations. Ponsoldt is represented by UTA, Brillstein, and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz.