Which films will be at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival?

Pedro Almodóvar, Nicolas Winding Refn, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Quentin Dupieux, Kore-eda, James Gray, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Asghar Farhadi could be among those selected this year.

Few Hollywood stars on the Croisette this year? It’s quite possible. The official selection will not be revealed until April 9, but already, the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is shaping up to be a year dedicated to looking at world cinema. Some big regulars and some new ones: the line-up should mix European auteur cinema, strong French talents, expected English-speaking indies and major signings from Asia. Variety has made a list of favorites for selection, which will be submitted to Park Chan-wook’s jury.

On the European side, several films are already strongly anticipated for competition. Among them, 1949 by Paweł Pawlikowski, cold war drama carried by Sandra Hüller; Bitter Christmas by Pedro Almodóvar, which marks his return to the Spanish language; or even Her Private Hell by Nicolas Winding Refn, mysterious comeback with Charles Melton and Sophie Thatcher. The Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen could present him The querido (The Beloved), with Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo as a broken father-daughter duo.

Other expected heavyweights: Minotaur by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Out of This World by Albert Serra with Riley Keough, and Fjord by Cristian Mungiu, the director’s first English-language film, starring Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan. Austria could also do well with Everytime by Sandra Wollner and Gentle Monster by Marie Kreutzer, bringing together Léa Seydoux and Catherine Deneuve.

As is often the case, French cinema will be omnipresent. Among the candidates: A good little soldier by Stéphane Brizé with Vincent Lindon, Full Phil by Quentin Dupieux, a crazy comedy described as a hellish version of Emily in Paris, with Woody Harrelson and Kristen Stewart, or even Roma Elastica by Bertrand Mandico with Marion Cotillard and Noémie Merlant. Are added Venus Electrificata by Pierre Salvadori and 15/18 by Cedric Kahn.

On the Asian side, Cannes could host Sheep in the Box by Hirokazu Kore-eda, announced as a dystopian film, as well as All of a Sudden by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, filmed in Paris with Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto. Another major filmmaker to set up his camera in the capital: Asghar Farhadi, expected with Parallel Talescarried by a leading French cast led by Isabelle Huppert and Catherine Deneuve.

American independent cinema will not be left out. Paper Tiger by James Gray, a thriller with Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, should logically make the trip. More discreet but just as expected, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma by Jane Schoenbrun, produced by Plan B and Mubi, could create a surprise with Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson.

The fact remains that this 2026 edition should confirm a fundamental movement: the decline of Hollywood studios. No big behemoths Mission: Impossible Or Top Gun on the horizon, and a reduced American presence. A strategic choice as well as an economic one, while the majors are increasingly hesitant to expose their blockbusters to festival criticism. Minions 3 (Minions and monsters) could still have a Cannes premiere before hitting the summer box office. Certain events – like Disclosure Day by Steven Spielberg or Digger by Alejandro González Iñárritu with Tom Cruise – will not take place: the first should not go through the festival box according to Variety and the second will instead go through Venice (closer to its release date).

Cannes doesn’t care. As Thierry Frémaux reminded us, the festival only depends on one thing: the films. And given the titles mentioned, this 2026 edition could once again prove that the real show is played far from Hollywood standards.