In early September, the Venice Film Festival 2026 (taking place from September 2 to 12) is expected to debut a slew of new movies, and a lot of them are going to be awards contenders. With that, we might have a good idea of what that lineup could end up looking like. It’s shaping up to see fewer Hollywood projects than some were expecting, but regardless, we’re looking at some solid efforts on the horizon.
As Variety reported, the Venice group could feature titles such as writer/director Florian Zeller’s “Bunker,” a psychological thriller starring Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Stephen Graham, Paul Dano, and Patrick Schwarzenegger.
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We’re thrilled to see Martin McDonagh’s highly anticipated follow-up to “The Banshees of Inisherin” is Searchlight Pictures’ comedic C.I.A. thriller “Wild Horse Nine,” starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Parker Posey, Tom Waits, Mariana di Girolamo, and Steve Buscemi.
Another big Hollywood production said to be on the table is Sony Pictures and Aaron Sorkin’s big “The Social Network” sequel, “The Social Reckoning,” as the exploits of Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong inhabiting the role after Jesse Eisenberg passed on it) continue as he’s at his most powerful. The rest of that roster features Best Actress Oscar winner Mikey Madison of “Anora,” Jeremy Allen White, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Billy Magnussen, Betty Gilpin, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Anna Lambe. Folks are hoping the tech-world drama lives up to the original, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s the case.
Netflix isn’t expected to debut “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” (David Fincher directing a Quentin Tarantino script with Brad Pitt back as the titular character introduced in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”), but they are possibly showcasing their heist thriller “Here Comes The Flood” from Bralizan filmmaker Fernando Meirelles (“City of God,” “The Two Popes”), which has a fantastic cast such as Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Danai Gurira, and Sean Harris.
The latest effort from veteran director Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastard” stars sisters Rooney Mara and Kate Mara, with Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson also playing roles in the pic. “Jean and Joan Holbrooke, who attempt to dig a tunnel through a mountain range in search of an imaginary land where true love exists.”
Here are some other titles that the outlet believes have a really good shot at screening at the 84th annual Italian festival.
Andrea Pallaoro’s “The Echo Chamber”: Based on an unfinished script by Bernardo Bertolucci (completed by Ludovica Rampoldi and Ilaria Bernardini), the film revolves around a man, a woman, and an apartment where an affair takes place. The cast is led by Alicia Vikander, Susan Sarandon, and Luca Marinelli.
Stéphane Brizé’s “A Good Little Soldier”: The film stars Alba Rohrwacher as a woman navigating a corporate environment where vulnerability is not an asset. At 43, Carla is a high-performing executive who has been newly recruited as the HR manager of a major insurer, tasked with rebuilding its brand. Vincent Lindon also stars.”
Cédric Kahn’s “15/18” (aka “A Place to Heal” ): “Set in a French public hospital’s adolescent psychiatry unit, the film follows the erratic rhythm of teenagers coming and going while a doctor and his team navigate the relentless cycle of treating, listening, and confronting suffering. When 17-year-old Lucia is brought back by police yet again, the arrival of a new patient threatens to shatter the fragile balance of the ward.”
Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s “DAU: Mother”: The next major entry in Khrzhanovsky’s monumental “DAU” project, which he spent over two-and-a-half years finishing. “DAU. Natasha” and “DAU. Degeneration” previously premiered at the 2020 Berlinale. Khrzhanovsky renounced his Russian citizenship and has been an outspoken critic of Putin’s regime. Still, he has also faced allegations about the way he treated women on the set of “DAU. Natasha.”
The full lineup for the Venice Film Festival 2026 is expected to be announced on July 23, so we’ll share the official lineup of movies as soon as it’s made public.
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