Hollywood Shunned Cannes in 2026: What Will It Take for Studio Blockbusters and Netflix to Return?
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- Thierry Frémaux secured support from Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos of 20th Century Fox in 2001 to premiere Baz Luhrmann’s “Moulin Rouge!” at Cannes, launching a 25‑year era of Hollywood premieres.
- Cannes Film Festival has hosted high‑profile Hollywood premieres over the past quarter‑century, including works by Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, George Miller, Steven Spielberg, and blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) and “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (2025).
- Hollywood studios have opted to skip the 2026 Cannes Festival, citing cost, risk, and the festival’s harsh critical environment, despite earlier hopes that Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” or Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” would debut there.
- Thierry Frémaux told the press that he hopes studio films will return, but industry insiders warn that budget cuts and thin‑skinned reactions to Cannes critics make the festival less attractive.
Why it matters: Cannes Film Festival loses the draw of studio premieres after 25 years, while studios sidestep costly Cannes trips, potentially shrinking the festival’s tourism revenue and global media buzz.
