Cruise, De Niro, and Binoche headline Cannes Film Festival

Tom Cruise is set to return to the Cannes Film Festival to present the latest and last episode of his "Mission: Impossible" series. He will join Robert De Niro and French actress Juliette Binoche among the confirmed A-list attendees.

Three years after he lit up the French Riviera while promoting "Top Gun: Maverick", Cruise's presence marks a significant coup for festival organizers.

"Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning" is one of the year's most hotly awaited blockbusters, and it will be released in cinemas worldwide on May 17.

"After nearly three decades of thrills, stunts, and twists, 'Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning' promises to deliver an unforgettable cinematic experience," the festival said in a statement.

On Monday, they announced that De Niro, star of "Taxi Driver" and "Godfather Part II", would be given an honorary Palme d'Or at the opening ceremony of the world's premier film festival on May 13.

Cannes president, Iris Knobloch, and long-time director, Thierry Fremaux, will hold a press conference in Paris on Thursday to unveil the selection of in-competition films and other significant premieres.

The industry is buzzing with speculation about who will attend one month before the red carpet rolls out on the seafront Croisette in Cannes.

After a series of expensive Hollywood flops this year, cinemas are desperate for stardust and sparkling new films.

These include Disney's live-action "Snow White," the superhero sequel "Captain America: Brave New World," and the bizarre sci-fi movie "Mickey 17."

The much-hyped "A Minecraft Movie" was released last week and might help lift the gloom after a record-breaking opening weekend in the United States.

(FILES) US actor Robert De Niro poses as he leaves the Festival Palace after the screening of the film "Killers of the Flower Moon" during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 20, 2023. Robert De Niro, legendary American actor ("Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," "The Godfather Part II"), will receive an Honorary Palme d'Or during the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24), organizers announced April 7, 2025.Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP

Contenders

This year's head of the Cannes jury is French screen legend Juliette Binoche, who will receive the famed Palme d'Or for best film.

Around 20 movies are set to compete in the top category, looking to emulate the success of last year's winner, "Anora" by Sean Baker.

Terrence Malick, who won the Palme d’Or for "The Tree of Life" 14 years ago, has been tipped to return with a long-awaited project inspired by biblical stories.

Other festival veterans could also return, such as Jim Jarmusch ("Broken Flowers", "Dead Man"), whose latest film stars Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver.

Wes Anderson, 55, has also assembled yet another star-studded cast for his latest film, which features Benicio Del Toro, Tom Hanks, and Scarlett Johansson.

Johansson, 40, could bring fresh air to the festival by presenting her directorial debut, "Eleanor the Great".

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: (L-R) Michael Angarano and Kristen Stewart attend a special screening of "Sacramento", presented by Vertical at Vista Theatre on April 07, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images/AFP

Another actress-turned-director, Kristen Stewart, 34, recently completed her first feature film.

Experts have also suggested the new master of American horror, 38-year-old Ari Aster -— known for his chilling films "Hereditary" and "Midsommar" -— could make his Cannes debut with a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone.

Three French female directors, Julia Ducournau (2021 Palme d’Or winner for "Titane"), Rebecca Zlotowski ("Other People's Children", "An Easy Girl") or Alice Winocour, who has made a film about Paris Fashion Week starring Angelina Jolie, have also been named as contenders.

Exiled Russian filmmakers such as Kirill Serebrennikov, Andrey Zvyagintsev, and rising talent Kantemir Balagov could also feature.

The festival has yet to announce its opening film on May 13 or the complete composition of the jury.

"Mission: Impossible" will be screened on the second day, May 14.