Cannes line-up features Hollywood giants like Scarlett Johansson, Spike Lee, Ari Aster, Richard Linklater

The 78th edition of the film festival will take place in the seaside French city from May 13 to 24, reports ‘Variety’.

This year’s Cannes, which some have described as the first true post-strike festival, is expected to have a large contingent of established U.S. filmmakers, including Spike Lee with ‘Highest 2 Lowest’, Richard Linklater with ‘Nouvelle Vague’, Kelly Reichardt with ‘The Mastermind’, Ari Aster with ‘Eddington’ and Wes Anderson with ‘The Phoenician Scheme’.

As per ‘Variety’, the roster could also showcase several actors making their directorial debuts, including Scarlett Johansson with ‘Eleanor the Great’ and Harris Dickinson with ‘Urchin’.

Last year’s fest proved to be a banner one, with Palme d’Or winner ‘Anora’ going on to score the Oscar for best picture and ‘Emilia Perez’, ‘The Substance’ and ‘Flow’ also becoming awards heavyweights.

The 2025 event is already shaping up to be a glamorous one with a large Hollywood presence, and of course, lots of stars. Earlier this week, it was officially announced that Tom Cruise will be back on the Croisette with ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’, three years after the splashy premiere for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

Artistic director and general delegate Thierry Fremaux, who is co-hosting the lineup press conference in Paris alongside president Iris Knobloch, revealed that the festival received a record number of 2,909 submissions. A few movies are always added after the presser across different sections, including in competition, and it seems that could be more so the case this year.

As previously announced, Juliette Binoche will preside over the jury, while Robert De Niro will receive this year’s honorary Palme d’Or.