‘Dune: Part Two’ Won’t Be Debuting At Venice But A Festival Launch Is Still In Play

You wouldn’t be wrong, as a film fan, to have your festival sights set on the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. That’s perhaps the premier festival each and every year.

Last week, after much speculation, we finally were given the initial lineup for this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Of course, the main lineup typically features the biggest names in film and this year is no different, with a new ‘Indiana Jones’ film as well as new films from directors like Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson.

Refresh for latest…: While a handful of big-ticket Cannes Film Festival titles have already been revealed, the bulk of the Official Selection for the 76th edition will be unveiled today. General Delegate Thierry Frémaux is announcing the lineup for the May 16-27 event from Paris’ UGC Normandie cinema this morning and we are updating the list live below; you can also watch the livestream here.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The anticipation is running high at the Cannes Film Festival’s packed annual press conference on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, where festival chief Thierry Fremaux is expected to unveil the bulk of the Official Selection for the 76th edition. The festival has been teasing cinephiles with splashy announcements about Martin Scorsese returning to the Croisette with “Killers of the Flower Moon,” 38 years after winning best director with “After Hour,” as well as Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” and Pedro Almodóvar’s short film, “Strange Way of Life.” But Fremaux, who is leading the presser with the festival’s new president Iris Knobloch, is expected to have saved a few high-profile surprises, including Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” starring an ensemble cast that includes Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson and Tilda Swinton; Todd Haynes’ “May December” with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore; Karim Aïnouz’s Henry VIII drama “Firebrand” with Alicia Vikander and Jude Law; and HBO’s “The Idol,” the Weeknd-led series.

described the film to Collider at the Star Wars Celebration in London Friday. “First being embraced into the family of folk music in New York and then, of course, kind of outrunning them at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief.” Mangold referenced other characters in the film like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, saying “they all have a role to play in this movie.”And when asked if Chalamet would be singing, Mangold immediately responded “Of course.”The French actor sang “Everything Happens” by Chet Baker in the 2019 Woody Allen film “A Rainy Day in New York,” and he told British Vogue that he would perform seven musical numbers in the upcoming “Wonka,” in which he will star as the iconic candyman character based on Roald Dahl’s book. Chalamet’s role in “Call Me by Your Name” confirmed that he can also play piano and guitar.The untitled film will watch the Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter’s first ascend to the top of the folk music scene before he pivots to rock and roll.Chalamet will also be seen in the upcoming “Dune Part 2” alongside Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Florence Pugh, Zendaya and Dave Bautista.

"AIR," the new movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and directed by Affleck, reunites old friends, with a stamp of approval by Michael Jordan. It is no secret that Affleck and Damon have been friends for decades, first meeting when Damon was 10 and Affleck was 8. In previous interviews, both actors have expressed they each had a love for acting at an early age, which drew them to one another.

The Cannes Film Festival announces its Official Selections for its 76th edition next Thursday, but fans already know about some movies premiering on the Croisette this year.  Martin Scorsese‘s “Killers Of The Flower Moon” will be at the festival, for instance, as will James Mangold‘s “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny.” And the opening film for Cannes 2023 has already been confirmed, too: Maïwenn‘s “Jeanne du Barry,” which also serves as the onscreen return for Johnny Depp.

Birthday blessings! Robert Downey Jr. rang in his 58th year by looking back at 57 — complete with a rare glimpse at his family life.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Maïwenn’s historical drama, “Jeanne du Barry,” starring Johnny Depp as Louis XV, is slated to world premiere on opening night of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Variety has learned. The movie marks Depp’s acting comeback after a three-year hiatus following his long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard which culminated in a defamation trial won by Depp in December. Maïwenn’s sixth feature, the period movie revolves around the tumultuous relationship of the French king Louis XV and his lover, Jeanne du Barry (played by Maiwenn), whom he brought into the Versailles Palace to live near him even though she wasn’t a noble. Louis XV, who was nicknamed “the beloved,” ultimately died as an unpopular king after being accused of corruption. He reigned for 59 years, the longest in the history of France after that of Louis XIV. Depp barely spoke French before the start of filming so it will be interesting to see how he pulls it off without an accent.

MTV has announced the nominees for the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards. Top Gun: Maverick leads the film side with six nominations. It tied with Stranger Things and The Last Of Us, also with six noms each on the scripted television side. Jersey Shore Family Vacation, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules head up unscripted noms with two each.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Stranger Things” and “The Last of Us” led all nominees as the MTV Movie & TV Awards announced this year’s nominations for the upcoming 2023 awards show. Also earning noms this year were first-timers the Cocaine Bear, from “Cocaine Bear,” and creepy murder doll “M3GAN” from “M3GAN.” The MTV Movie & TV Awards returns to Santa Monica’s Barker Hanger for a live telecast on May 7 at 8 p.m. ET. Drew Barrymore, also nominated for an MTV Movie & TV Award this year, will host. This year’s awards show includes 26 gender-neutral categories. Fans can vote on the show from now until April 17 at 6 p.m. ET.

The Cannes Film Festival has confirmed that it will announce the Official Selection for its 76th edition on April 13 in Paris.

EXCLUSIVE: Venice Film Festival, Netflix and The Gotham Film & Media Institute are teaming up on a program of movies at iconic New York venue, the Paris Theater. Scroll down for program lineup in full.

It would appear that Warner Bros. Discovery is changing things up with the release of “Dune: Part Two” later this year.

Times have changed. Lionel Richie revealed “All Night Long” was written about the long, sexy romps of his youth, but he can’t quite go for a full eight hours anymore.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The crack of a bullwhip may soon echo around the Palais. Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere. The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and it certainly boasts all the right ingredients to make for a glamorous and memorable moment. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, this installment will reportedly be Harrison Ford’s last time playing the titular character. Ford stars opposite an attractive international cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, among others. James Mangold, the director of “Logan” and “Ford vs. Ferrari,” slides behind the camera on this one. Details of the film’s plot are being kept under wraps that are tighter than those of a mummy, but based on the trailer this one does find Dr. Jones facing off against former Nazis in a flashback sequence that uses de-aging technology to zap Ford back in time.

The Venice Film Festival has set filmmaker Liliana Cavani and actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai to receive this year’s Golden Lions for lifetime achievement. The 80th Venice fest runs from August 30-September 9 on the Lido.

Could Hercule Poirot be headed to this year’s Venice Film Festival?

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has preemptively acquired a remake of the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock-directed psychological thriller Vertigo, with Robert Downey Jr eyeing the James Stewart lead role of the former police detective forced to retire after a line of duty trauma that leaves him with fear of heights and vertigo. The script will be written by Steven Knight, the See and Peaky Blinders creator who just signed on to write a Star Wars film.

Nia Long had the sweetest reunion with her  co-star, Larenz Tate. The actress took to Instagram to share that the two ran into one another while walking in the rain, and they declared their love for one another while sheltering under a shared umbrella.«Walking in the rain right now, s**t happens in the rain, LT! I love you,» Long says as she beams into the camera with Tate walking by her side.