Cannes Leader Expresses Hope for Hollywood’s Return to the Festival
Cannes Film Festival Director Addresses Hollywood’s Absence
During the Cannes Film Festival’s opening press conference on Monday, festival director Thierry Frémaux responded to inquiries regarding Hollywood’s limited participation this year, particularly focusing on the significance of Universal’s Fast & Furious 25th anniversary programming.
“I hope the studio films come back,” Frémaux stated, reflecting on the current landscape of major film premieres.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, several summer studio releases have struggled to gain traction at Cannes, resulting in poor reviews and disappointing box office outcomes. Notable examples include Disney/Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Pixar’s Elemental, both released in 2023, as well as Warner Bros’ Furiosa, slated for 2024.
Nevertheless, the festival has seen its share of successes. In 2022, Top Gun: Maverick became Tom Cruise’s highest-grossing film and Paramount’s most profitable, raking in $1.5 billion. Other significant entries included Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning which grossed $598.7 million and Warner Bros’ Elvis, which not only earned $288.6 million but also garnered eight Oscar nominations, propelling Austin Butler into stardom.
Frémaux acknowledged that “each studio, producer, each author has their own strategy” concerning film releases. He cited discussions from two years prior about the premiere of One Battle After Another, a film by Paul Thomas Anderson that shifted its release from August 2025 to late September, leading Warner Bros to forgo its festival launch. The film ultimately won six Oscars, including Best Picture.
When asked about the absence of major summer tentpoles this year, Frémaux maintained, “Well, our rule is to not talk about films that are not in Cannes. We only talk about films in the selection.”
Rumors suggested that Universal’s Disclosure Day, a Steven Spielberg film set to premiere on June 12, would not be ready in time for the festival. Additionally, Disney was unlikely to showcase Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu following a disappointing history with Dial of Destiny and Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2018. Frémaux emphasized that established studios must deliver high-quality films to compete on the prestigious Grand Théâtre Lumière stage.
Some Hollywood insiders have cast doubt on the studios’ reasons for bypassing the festival, with claims that viable projects were available for presentation.
Frémaux noted that Universal proposed a midnight screening of Fast & Furious to celebrate its 25th anniversary, praising the idea as “wonderful.” This screening coincides with franchise star Vin Diesel’s recent announcement of four upcoming TV series based on the action franchise.
“Fast & Furious is a phenomenon in contemporary history of cinema,” Frémaux remarked. Additionally, Paramount will host a 40th anniversary screening of Top Gun during this year’s festival.
Frémaux urged patience as Hollywood navigates the aftermath of the pandemic, recent strikes, and ongoing mergers. He highlighted that although Hollywood is largely absent this year, American cinema is still represented by films like James Gray’s Paper Tiger, Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love, and Steven Soderbergh’s documentary John Lennon: The Last Interview.
Despite the lack of numerous Hollywood titles, Frémaux suggested that there was little cause for complaints from U.S. filmmakers. However, he acknowledged that Italy is feeling the sting of exclusion this year, as the nation has no titles represented in the Cannes selection, a concern expressed by an Italian journalist at the press conference’s conclusion.
