We’ve been endlessly speculating about the competition slots at Cannes, but what about all the other Out-Of Competition stuff? This is where we see major potential for the starry glitz and glamor most of the Americabn media was desperately clamoring for last year. I think we’ll get it this year.
“Rocketman,” the Elton John biopic is all but sealed as a sure-thing to premiere on the croissettE; Starring Aaron Edgerton, the film is coming off the immense success of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and is directed by Dexter Fletcher who took over directing duties for Bryan Singer in that film.
“Toy Story 4” is another film that could potentially be an Oscar contender come next year. Its presence for an OOC slot has been fervently rumored on. Pixar has had a history with Cannes over the years — “Inside Out” and “Up!” both premiered there.
Armando Iannucci’s “The Disappearance of David Copperfield” is also receiving a lot of Cannes traction. The director has been gaining steam these last few years as the creator of “Veep” and the director of political satires such as “In the Loop” and “The Death of Stalin.”
The upcoming Roger Ailes biopic “Fair and Balanced,” directed by Jay Roach and starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie could absolutely prove to be a major get for the fest. Its December release date seems suspect for it to debut at the fest next month but there is already Showtime series being released this summer that it would make sense Roach would want to premiere this film ahead of its competition.
The short version: "Woman Unknown" was a compromise. The jury deadlocked over "Possible Love" and "NAZA," not able to com to terms, fell back on their #3, May el-Toukhy's film.