The Atlantic Festival 2026 has expanded its speaker lineup with a first look at Zoe Kazan's Netflix limited series adaptation of East of Eden, alongside conversations with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and chef and author Padma Lakshmi, The Hollywood Reporter revealed exclusively. The additions bolster an already star-studded roster for the annual event, which mixes entertainment previews with political and media discussions.

The East of Eden preview, a modern retelling of John Steinbeck's novel with fresh focus on the Cathy Ames character, will be followed by a talk featuring Kazan, star Florence Pugh and Netflix content chief Bela Bajaria. Kaepernick will discuss his forthcoming memoir The Perilous Fight with Jemele Hill, while Lakshmi will address the future of creative work; other confirmed guests include Richard Linklater, Malcolm Gladwell, Senator Mark Kelly, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and journalists including Jeffrey Goldberg and Maggie Haberman. The festival, also featuring screenings of PBS docuseries Crime and Punishment and the documentary Playing POTUS, runs from 17-19 September at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York.