Ramy Youssef and Sharon Stone are coming together for Martha & Muhammad, a new comedy from A24 that gives both performers an unusual pairing while giving Youssef a major new role behind the camera. A24 is producing and financing the project, which was announced as Youssef prepares to make his feature directorial debut.
The film follows a wealthy white widowed socialite in New York who develops a relationship with a young Muslim man. The story brings two people from very different backgrounds together and is expected to explore class, religion, immigration and age. These themes provide the setting for the comedy, but the film remains centered on the relationship between its two leads and the differences in their lives.
Youssef is taking on three important jobs on the project. He has written the screenplay, will direct the film and will star alongside Stone. Martha & Muhammad will be his first feature as a director, making it an important next step after years of work in television, comedy and acting. His involvement also gives him greater creative control over a story that connects with subjects he has explored in earlier work.
Youssef became widely known through Ramy, the acclaimed comedy-drama series he created, wrote and starred in. The show ran for three seasons and 30 episodes, following a first-generation Muslim American as he navigates faith, family, relationships and everyday life. Youssef won one Golden Globe for his performance and received two Emmy nominations, including recognition for his directing. He has also worked as a comedian, writer, producer and actor, with credits including Poor Things, The Bear and The Studio. His work with A24 already includes Ramy and several comedy projects.
Stone brings a long-established film career to the new comedy. She became internationally recognized through films such as Basic Instinct and Casino, earning an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s Casino. Her other notable credits include Total Recall and The Quick and the Dead. More recently, she has appeared in television projects including HBO’s Euphoria. Her experience across drama and comedy makes her a notable match for Youssef’s first feature.
The project also continues a creative relationship between Youssef and A24 that has developed over several years. Their earlier work together helped establish Youssef as a filmmaker whose comedy can address personal and cultural subjects without losing its accessible tone. That background makes his move to a feature especially relevant here. At the same time, Stone’s presence gives the film a lead with decades of screen experience, creating a clear contrast with Youssef’s younger career. The pairing is therefore central to the film’s appeal, even before audiences know more about the finished production or its release.
The producer lineup adds further industry experience. Youssef will produce through his Cairo Cowboy banner, while Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie will produce through Central. Christopher Storer and Tyson Bidner will produce through American Light & Fixture. The group brings experience from independent film, television and comedy, while A24 remains directly involved as the project’s producer and financier.
Production is expected to begin in fall 2026. At this stage, no release date has been announced, and further casting, filming locations and other production details have not been confirmed. That leaves the film in an early phase, with its central creative team now established.
For now, Martha & Muhammad stands out for bringing Youssef’s television and comedy background together with Stone’s extensive screen experience. More importantly, it gives Youssef his first feature directing opportunity while A24 supports a story built around two people from different generations, cultures and social positions. With production ahead in 2026, the next updates should provide a clearer picture of the film before its eventual release.
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