Noah Centineo and Will Poulter Set Out on a Recovery Road Trip in First ‘Union County’ Image

Sundance is pulling back the curtain on its 2026 lineup of films, and among the titles confirmed to premiere next year is Adam Meeks‘ high-profile addiction drama, Union County. It’s a feature adaptation of the writer-director’s 2020 short of the same name, with Will Poulter set to take the lead as Cody Parsons, a man navigating a drug court recovery program in rural Ohio. Along with the announcement of its inclusion, the first image was shared, showing the disheveled star staring blankly out the window while being driven by The Recruit lead and upcoming Street Fighter star Noah Centineo. From the look on their faces, there will be plenty of reflection and much to figure out on the road to repairing Cody’s life.

Further complicating matters in Union County is that it’s set at the height of the opioid epidemic. Central Ohio is considered part of ground zero for the health crisis that would ruin or take the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans throughout the late 1990s and the 21st century. It follows Cody as he emerges from the mandatory drug program and tries to get everything back on track against the backdrop of a manmade tragedy. To make it more authentic to the locale, locals were also included as part of the production, which took place in and around the area the film is named after.

Last seen on-screen in The Bear Season 4 earlier this year, Poulter is also joined in the film by Elise Kibler, Emily Meade, and Annette Deao, in addition to Centineo. Producers, meanwhile, include Brad Becker-Parton, Stephanie Roush, Sean Weiner, Faye Tsakas, and Martha Gregory. Union County marks Meeks’ directorial debut, and he got a bit of help in getting it over the finish line from Centineo, who helped back it with his Arkhum Productions banner, which also previously produced Our Hero, Balthazar.

‘Union County’ Marks a Major Reunion for Poulter and Centineo

Noah Centineo driving while Will Poulter stares out of the window in Union CountyImage via Sundance Institute

For Poulter and Centineo, Union County also reunites the duo less than a year after they played brothers-in-arms in A24’s grounded war drama Warfare. Poulter played one of the members of Alpha One, the U.S. Navy SEALs platoon fighting for survival after their mission goes off the rails, while Centineo joined Alpha Two, the second group redeployed to help the team escape the deadly situation. Since then, the two have each filled their schedules with some high-profile roles starting as early as next year, with Centineo set to play Street Fighter icon Ken Masters in the star-studded video game adaptation on October 16, while Poulter gears up for Boots Riley‘s next feature, I Love Boosters, on May 22. The former was also tapped for another massive franchise role in the prequel film John Rambo from Sisu director Jalmari Helander.

Union County will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 22 through February 1 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. Check out the first image above.