Roadside Attractions and Vertical have acquired the U.S. rights to Tow, the true-life drama starring Rose Byrne.
Steff Laing, who directed Byrne in the Apple TV+ series Physical and also helmed shows Palm Royale and Your Friends and Neighbors, directed Tow, which had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
Based on a true story, Tow follows Amanda Ogle (Byrne), a woman living in her aging Toyota Camry on the streets of Seattle. When her car, her only lifeline, is stolen and impounded, Ogle is thrust into a relentless legal battle against an indifferent system. What begins as a fight to reclaim her car evolves into a deeply human story of resilience, dignity, and the power of one woman’s voice in the face of systemic failure. Jonathan Keasey and Brant Boivin wrote the script.
The stacked ensemble includes Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer (The Help), Grammy-nominated artist Demi Lovato, Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Independent Spirit Award winner Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers), Independent Spirit Award winner Simon Rex (Red Rocket) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade).
The film will open theatrically in 2026 and currently holds a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. In its review from Tribeca, The Hollywood Reporter wrote “Tow sends a powerful message about how many of us have more in common with a person sleeping in a car than we do the billionaires we’ve been conditioned to admire.”
“Tow has found the perfect home with Roadside Attractions and Vertical,” enthused Laing in a statement. “From the very first meeting, I could feel their genuine passion and commitment to the film. Their dedication to releasing Tow in theaters where audiences can celebrate the true story of Amanda Ogle with this incredible cast, led by Rose Byrne, is what this film deserves.”
The film was produced by Votiv’s Brent Stiefel and Justin Lothrop, alongside Laing, Danyelle Foord, Samantha Nisenboim, Byrne, Josh Ricks, and Brian O’Shea.
Roadside Attractions co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff stated jointly, “Rose Byrne’s amazing body of work speaks for itself, but in our estimation, Amanda could be her most indelible character. “
“Steff has created an unforgettable film,” added Vertical partner Peter Jarowey. “Led by the fantastic Rose Byrne, this incredible cast and crew have made something remarkable. We are thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with Roadside to bring this film to audiences nationwide.”
The deal continues the distribution relationship between Roadside Attractions and Vertical, which has included movies such as Emily the Criminal, starring Aubrey Plaza, Firebrand, starring Alicia Vikander, The Pod Generation, starring Emilia Clarke, and The Desperate Hour, starring Naomi Watts, among others.
CAA Media Finance made the deal behalf of the filmmakers. Voltage Pictures is handling international sales.