In January, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did something they had never done before: attended the Sundance Film Festival. They went to Sundance to promote Cookie Queens, a documentary which they executive produced through their Archewell Productions. Cookie Queens follows several Girl Scouts as they sell Girl Scout Cookies and learn about sales, entrepreneurship and leadership. It got good reviews at Sundance, although it was not sold by the end of the festival. As the weeks dragged on, it was becoming a thing for Sussex-haters and the trade papers: why hasn’t anyone bought Cookie Queens? Why hasn’t the documentary found a distributor? Sources kept saying that Netflix passed on buying it too. Well, good news. Cookie Queens now has a buyer/distributor.
“Cookie Queens,” a documentary backed by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, has found a buyer. Roadside Attractions has acquired U.S. rights to the project, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. “Cookie Queens” will also have a presence at SXSW before it opens exclusively in theaters over the summer.
Directed by Alysa Nahmias, “Cookie Queens” is described as a “coming-of-age story about the joys, pressures, and tensions woven into one of America’s most cherished rituals: Girl Scout Cookie season.” It chronicles the six-week blitz in which Girl Scouts take to the streets to sell Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.
Roadside’s experience in the documentary space ranges from “Super Size Me” to “The September Issue” to “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It.” Most recently, the company distributed the 98th Oscar-nominated shorts, presented by Taika Waititi, in North American theaters.
“Cookie Queens shines a light on an iconic American tradition that millions of people recognize but rarely stop to consider,” said Roadside co-presidents Eric d’Arbeloff and Howard Cohen. “Alysa’s funny and deeply affecting portrait of these girls and their families had Sundance audiences cheering and stayed with us long after the credits rolled. We’re excited to share it with a broad audience in theaters soon.”
Good. I’m glad it will get theatrical distribution too, and I’m sure after a theatrical run, it will probably go to streaming… somewhere. This also means that Cookie Queens could be Oscar-eligible! I mean, I doubt it will be Oscar-nominated, but you never know. I’m sure all of those critics wailing about this will obviously apologize and eat sh-t? No? Well, whatever.
Fashion Note by CB Meghan is wearing the Heidi Merrick Fog Coat in Deep Sea
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Park City, UT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted arriving at the screening of the movie “Cookie Queens” during Sundance 2026, in Park City, Utah. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
How wonderful, I’m now hoping it will also go overseas
This is one of those moments where I love living in LA! I can’t wait to support this in theaters. Heck, if they do some sort of premiere, I will happily go cheer for Meghan and Harry and report back here.
Unless I pass out after seeing Meghan in person. I will take that to the grave. I adore her!
I didn’t know you lived in LA Christine! I keep seeing tickets go up for one of Hudson’s short films there in April and I feel like that would be up your alley😉
It is absolutely up my alley! I’m thinking about dragging my son to see Hudson’s movie, if I can get tickets. I don’t know any Loons in real life, and he’s a pretty good sport for anything going on in LA.
Aww, okay that’s cute that he’s up for anything. If was in LA and not GA, I’d join😂
It seemed very well-received and reviewed coming out of Sundance so it always felt like it would find distribution. It’s also premiering at SXSW this weekend. Today and Sunday.
And yeah they were really making it into a thing about it not getting distribution. They always always crow about things too early and then end up having egg on their faces. Once again, don’t immediately buy into the page 6 or DM narrative. Bc now it seems like they were holding out for a theater experience which is very cool.
I honestly don’t think Netflix would have been a good fit for this project. Niche documentaries often get lost on the huge platform that prioritises big budget dramas and true crime documentaries. By getting a theatrical release it has the chance to reach a different kind of audience than the casual Netflix viewer. Hopefully it will get picked up by PBS or somewhere similar after the theatrical release.
Do you think it would get lost on Disney+? That might be a good fit after the theater release.
@Jais Yes maybe Disney, just not a huge platform like Netflix or Amazon where niche content just gets lost and not recommended by the algorithm.
Good! Imagine the gloating if it hadn’t sold. Does this sort of movie lend itself to a theatrical release? Are documentaries earners in that way?
I don’t know if they are. I’d assume the distribution looks different, as in it plays at smaller or more niche type theaters but that’s just a guess. It’s always seemed like there’s already a built in audience of girls scouts ready to go see it. As in it would a fun experience for troops to go together and see it. I have to imagine Meghan and the director wanted that theater experience for them too.
Ah yes! That would be so cute to see the troops at the premiere.
Roadside Attractions (and Samuel Goldwyn Films) were US distributors for 2004 documentary ‘Super Size Me’ that did very well, albeit in a different movie landscape. Roadside Attractions didn’t generate the same type of profits with 2021 ‘Rita Moreno.’ But it was more of a niche film compared to a dude eating only McDonald’s for a month.
I haven’t been to a movie theater since “Twelve Years A Slave”, but I will definitely go to see “Cookie Queens” when it comes out. Congratulations to Harry and Meghan. I can’t wait to see the documentary.
I won’t be able to watch unless it comes out on DVD (blue ray is fine), or is on either Amazon Prime or Netflix. That’s the only way. My back/hip/knee issues have become enough of a pain that I cannot sit still for very long any more. I wouldn’t want to irritate other movie goers as I sit then stand, then sit, then stand even in the back of the theatre I understand it can be distracting.
Happy Cookie Queens found a distributor. Happy for Harry Meghan and the producer. Will go see i when it reaches my theater.
I think it was always their intention for the film to first do the rounds at film festivals, and then find a distributer for the movie theater screenings. I never believed the “Netflix rejected it to stream” news.
Congrats to the Sussexes and all of the people who worked on Cookie Queens! 🎉 This distributor has a prestigious track record. 5,4,3,2,1….. until some royal expert finds some Hollywood insider to claim that this is terrible, no good, very bad and the end of the line for all things Sussex! Just the other day, some PR expert was claiming Meghan would never get another deal in Hollywood because Netflix was no longer partnering with her in As Ever. I guess never is a shorter period than I realized.
This was exciting and happy news, I have been looking forward to seeing it.
I hope that it goes to streaming as I am in the UK and won’t get to see it otherwise.
All the film experts in the British press are very quiet right now. I’m happy for Harry and Meghan and their team.
Suck it RR! LOL
Aww, yay! I love the premise of this doc and will happily support it when it comes out. I wonder if Netflix will get first dibs on streaming once it’s had its theatre run.
Glad it found distribution and will play in theaters. Will be nice to get a kid friendly film that’s not animated. Hope it gets lots of support/screenings from Girl Scouts and summer camps. It’s also good for an Archewell production to be shown beyond Netflix as well.
Roadside Attractions is no joke. They’ve got a serious track record for “odd” projects and documentaries.