Mission Impossible VIII Targets Cannes Premiere Amidst Festival Frenzy
Cannes, France – The highly anticipated eighth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise, starring Tom Cruise, is set to hit French theaters on May 21st, strategically positioned amidst the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Speculation Mounts Over Cannes Premiere
Although no official decision has been made, Paramount Pictures, the production company behind Mission Impossible, has proposed a screening of the film at Cannes as a non-competitive entry, according to Variety. This speculation stems from the successful Cannes premiere of another Tom Cruise blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick, in 2022.
Top Gun: Maverick ignited the Croisette, earning a remarkable $1.45 billion at the global box office and earning Cruise a standing ovation for his decades-long career. Given Cruise’s absence from Cannes since 1992, his attendance at the festival this year would undoubtedly be a major attraction.
Other Blockbusters Bow Out
While Mission Impossible’s potential Cannes premiere remains a tantalizing possibility, other highly anticipated blockbusters have reportedly declined invitations. Deadline reports that Formula 1, starring Brad Pitt, and James Gunn’s new Superman installment will not be featured at the festival. Pixar’s Elio and Danny Boyle’s sequel to 28 Days Later have also been excluded.
Anticipated Festival Lineup
Even without those mega-blockbusters, the Cannes Film Festival promises a star-studded lineup, according to predictions from Variety and other media outlets. Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, featuring Denzel Washington, is a strong contender, as is Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, boasting an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, and Scarlett Johansson.
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, a meta-cinema exploration of the genesis of Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking À Bout de Souffle, is another potential standout. Other films in the running include a biopic on Charles de Gaulle by Antonin Baudry and Rebecca Zlotowski’s Vie privée. Johansson is also expected to showcase her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great.
Official Selection Announcement Imminent
The official selection for the 78th Cannes Film Festival will be unveiled in mid-April, fueling the excitement and speculation surrounding the cinematic extravaganza. With the possibility of Mission Impossible’s premiere and a tantalizing lineup of other films, Cannes 2023 promises to be an unforgettable cinematic event.
