With the lack of a Cannes (and a regular film festival circuit) in 2020 due to the pandemic, there were multiple reports that a lot of filmmakers were going to hold their work back until there could be a semi-normal event to premiere. Well, judging by early reports about which films might show up, it appears that Cannes 2021 could become a truly star-studded affair with some huge projects debuting at the event.
READ MORE: Paul Thomas Anderson’s New Film Reportedly Scheduled For Christmas Day Release
According to Variety, early reports about which films might show up at Cannes are pointing towards an event with a number of major filmmakers debuting some of our most anticipated films of the year. Leading the way, it appears that Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Soggy Bottom,” which is reportedly anticipating a late-fall release in theaters, is a film that might show up at this year’s Cannes. If that happens, it would be the first time Anderson has appeared at Cannes since “Punch-Drunk Love” nearly 20 years ago.
Another high-profile project that is being tipped as a possible Cannes debut is Sean Penn’s “Flag Day.” This thriller, which Penn directs and stars in, also stars Dylan Penn, Hopper Penn, Josh Brolin, and Miles Teller. Other films that are possibly lining up a Cannes debut are Jane Campion’s highly-anticipated drama, “The Power of The Dog,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kristen Dunst, as well as Paul Schrader’s latest, “The Card Counter,” starring Oscar Isaac and Willem Dafoe. These films join previously rumored projects such as Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” (presumably a lock), Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta,” and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s English-language debut “Memoria” with Tilda Swinton in the lead role.
Of that batch of films, the only possible question-mark is with Campion’s “The Power of The Dog.” That film has already lined up Netflix as its distribution partner, which would make a tough sell for Cannes, as the festival hasn’t played well with streaming partners over the years. However, if it does show up, ‘Dog’ would likely be an Out of Competition play.
As long as things progress as anticipated (meaning the pandemic slows its course in France), the Cannes Film Festival will kick off this year on July 6.
