First trailer for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York arrives ahead of October release

Sony Pictures Classics released the first trailer for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York on August 6, 2026, showing actor John Turturro as an aging pickpocket adrift in a cashless city ahead of the film’s October cinema release.

TL;DR

• Sony Pictures Classics dropped the first trailer for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York on August 6, 2026.
• Turturro stars as a career pickpocket forced to outrun a crime family after fencing a stolen USB stick.
• The film premiered at Sundance in January and screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
• It opens in New York and Los Angeles on October 23, expanding nationwide on October 30; no UK or Ireland date has been confirmed.

What the trailer shows

The trailer follows Harry Lehman, a lifelong New York hustler who has spent decades lifting wallets and watches. Cash and jewelry have given way to tap-to-pay cards and tracked phones, and Harry can no longer keep up with the trade that once supported him.

His routine collapses when he unknowingly steals a bag containing a valuable USB stick. The theft puts him on the wrong side of a vengeful crime family while he tries to keep caring for his disabled wife, Rosie, played by Karina Arroyave.

A Sundance premiere turned awards contender

Writer-director Noah Segan built the film as his feature directorial debut, and it premiered at the Eccles Theater during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 27 before an out-of-competition slot at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in February, according to Variety.

Sony Pictures Classics acquired global rights within a month of that premiere. In a statement reported by Variety, the studio called the film “one of the great New York movies ever,” pointing to Turturro’s performance as a career high.

The film was produced by Katie McNeill, Leopold Hughes and Ben LeClair for MRC and T-Street, with Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman serving as executive producers alongside Johnny Holland.

The cast rounding out Harry’s world

Actor Giancarlo Esposito plays Detective Warren, while Will Price, Tatiana Maslany, Victoria Moroles, Steve Buscemi and Jamie Lee Curtis fill out the supporting cast, according to the film’s official Sony Pictures Classics page. The film runs 88 minutes and carries an R rating in the US for language.

Critics who caught it at Sundance and Berlin have singled out Turturro’s performance, describing the film as a quiet character study of a city — and a man — running out of time to adapt.

UK release still unconfirmed

There’s no UK or Ireland release date yet. According to The Movie Waffler, a UK/ROI release “has yet to be announced,” and no BBFC certificate has been issued for the film so far. UK audiences hoping to catch it will likely have to wait for a distributor pickup following the US rollout.

Sony Pictures Classics has scheduled the film to open in New York and Los Angeles on October 23, expanding nationwide on October 30. Fans looking for a similar Sundance-to-autumn journey can also track the first trailer for Wicker, another festival breakout heading to cinemas the same month, or catch up on our review of this year’s best indie contender, Blue Heron.

We’ll keep you posted on updates about The Only Living Pickpocket in New York as a UK release date is confirmed.

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Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed August 8, 2026.