After a turbulent year marked by bankruptcy and cancellation, Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival is officially set to return this summer. Running from July 16 to 27, the event has announced a lineup that includes high-profile names like Kumail Nanjiani, Russell Peters, Tom Segura, and Fortune Feimster.
The 2025 edition will also feature Mae Martin, Michelle Buteau, Adam Ray (performing as Dr. Phil), and U.K. comics Russell Howard, Nick Mohammed, and Ed Gamble. Canadian performers are well represented, with appearances by Ennis Esmer, Sabrina Jalees, Rachid Badouri, and K. Trevor Wilson.
The revival comes after a major shake-up in 2024, when the festival’s parent company Groupe Juste pour rire filed for creditor protection and eventually ceased operations. The brand and its assets were acquired by Quebec City-based ComediHa!, which hosted a scaled-down version of JFL events last summer. This year marks the first full-scale English-language edition under the new leadership.
Sylvain Parent-Bédard, the President of ComediHa! and currently serving as JFL’s CEO, has described the festival’s return as a “rebirth.” However, there was no formal press conference to accompany the announcement. Instead, the lineup was revealed via a straightforward graphic shared across social media and the festival’s website.
In addition to individual headliners, the festival will bring back familiar series like the Just for Laughs Galas, The Nasty Show, Midnight Surprise, BRIT(ISH), and Roast Battle Canada. There will also be newer offerings like Updating, a live dating comedy show, and Smosh’s Reddit Stories Live.
As with previous years, shows will be split across venues in downtown Montreal, although no specific venue details have yet been confirmed. Tickets go on sale May 12 through the festival’s official site.
The festival’s future was uncertain after last year’s collapse, so this return will likely serve as a litmus test for how much trust and interest remains among both audiences and industry stakeholders. While the tone of this year’s announcement is more reserved than in past years, the list of acts suggests that JFL is aiming to re-establish itself with a mix of caution and ambition.
