Will Hollywood bite and make a storming comeback at Cannes this year? I doubt any big studio fare will sneak into the official competition (unless you count James Gray’s “Armageddon Time,”) but there are plenty of out-of-competition slots available this year. There’s also a ton of potential star wattage that could flock on the Cannois red carpet; Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock could all potentially make the trek this year for this the 75th edition of the fest.
Nope (Jordan Peele)
As much as I’d love to see Peele crack the high-brow official competition, consider this one more of a fit for an OOC spot. Cahiers du Cinema love his films, and the general French press has has been very favourable towards Peele’s socially conscious horror output, but I long to live to see the day when mainstream genre fare makes it into competition. Alas, I don’t think we’re there yet with Fremaux’s crew. If not an OOC spot, then maybe a flashy showing at Director’s Fortnight (Quinzaine)?
Three-Thousand Years of Longing (George Miller)
With “Mad Max: Fury Road” George Miller directed one of the most heralded films of the 2010s — then, why did Miller’s masterpiece only screen OOC at Cannes 2015? Quite simply, I don’t think the Cannes programmers realized the cultural impact Miller’s film was going to garner. It’d be odd to have his latest film, “Three-Thousand Years of Longing,” make it into competition instead, but that’s what done are predicting. For now, I’m relegating this ambitious Tilda Swinton-starring romance as an OOC title.
Elvis (Baz Luhrmann)
It’s almost a sure-thing that Baz Lhurmann’s Elvis biopic will be on the Croisette this coming May. The Aussie director has brought three of his films to Cannes (“Strictly Ballroom,” “Moulin Rouge,” and “The Great Gatsby”) — the glitzy style he delivers in his movies is the perfect way to open the festival — and “Elvis” will probably be the fourth.
Top Gun: Maverick (Joseph Kosinski)
This mega-blockbuster sequel starring Tom Cruise was supposed to screen at the pandemic-cancelled Cannes 2020. It then skipped the 2021 movie calendar altogether, no doubt due to the unpredictable nature of Delta in the summer and fall of 2021, but there is no reason for it to not be released this year and, much like “Elvis,” a Cannes world premiere seems to be a no-brainer.
Pixar’s Lightyear (Angus Maclane)
After “Up” and “Inside Out,” one can imagine Pixar bringing their latest creation to Cannes. Then again, “Lightyear” doesn’t necessarily sound like it would be in the same caliber as the aforementioned films. In a year when movies, and the industry as a whole, are trying to mount a full-fledged comeback, maybe premiering this Pixar prequel on the Croisette wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Bullet Train (David Leitch)
A June release fits perfectly for this Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock actioneer to make a splash on the Croisette this year. Director David Leitch has also proven himself to be one of the best choreographers of action in the industry. Unless it’s an all-out train wreck, and we’re hearing it definitely isn’t, then what’s the harm of having it screen just a few weeks before it is released stateside?
I actually find that number optimistic. Tickets for “Digger” go on sale next Tuesday, and presales will give us a better picture of how bad it’s looking.