The Hammer (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Hammer profiles Simon de Pury, the former Sotheby’s chairman known for his flamboyant presence in the auction world. Framed as a love story between art and money, this 2026 documentary brings together artists, collectors and cultural figures around one of the art market’s most recognizable personalities.

The Hammer centers on Simon de Pury, a prominent figure in the international art world and former chairman of Sotheby’s. Known for his larger-than-life personality and nicknamed the “Mick Jagger of auctions,” de Pury is the documentary’s central subject.

Directed by Simon Wallon, the film examines the connection between artistic value and financial power through a documentary portrait of one of the auction business’s best-known personalities.

The Hammer movie details

Story without spoilers

Rather than presenting a fictional plot, The Hammer follows Simon de Pury as a recognizable presence in the art market. Its premise connects his career and public persona with the broader relationship between art and money, a tension captured by the film’s tagline: “A love story between art and money.”

The documentary also features artists and art-world figures appearing as themselves, including Marina Abramović, Jeff Koons, Magnus Resch and Chloe Wise. The supplied synopsis does not specify the film’s structure or individual topics beyond its focus on de Pury and the auction world.

What to expect

Viewers can expect a documentary portrait rooted in the contemporary art market rather than a fictional narrative. The film’s subject is an auction-world personality with a high-profile background, while its premise points toward questions surrounding the relationship between artistic culture and financial value.

The presence of several prominent art-world participants suggests a film shaped by first-person appearances and professional perspectives. However, the available information does not describe its visual approach, tone, interview structure or conclusions.

Cast and creative team

Simon Wallon directs The Hammer. Simon de Pury appears as himself, joined by Marina Abramović, Jeff Koons, Magnus Resch and Chloe Wise, who also appear as themselves. No writers are listed in the supplied credits.

• Marina Abramović as Self
• Simon de Pury as Self
• Jeff Koons as Self
• Magnus Resch as Self
• Chloe Wise as Self

Release and production context

The Hammer is a 2026 documentary from France and the United States of America. It is in English and has a runtime of 1 hour and 17 minutes. The listed release date is September 29, 2026, and the film is marked as released. Production companies are Artist International Group, Submarine Entertainment, Black Square Magazine and Kiss & Kill.

Production companies: Artist International Group, Submarine Entertainment, Black Square Magazine, Kiss & Kill

Movies Dock view

The Hammer offers a focused documentary subject in Simon de Pury, whose former Sotheby’s leadership and distinctive reputation place him at the intersection of auctions, celebrity and contemporary art. With its art-and-money premise and lineup of art-world figures, the film is positioned as a concise portrait of that cultural and commercial sphere.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb