Toronto film festival: Helen Mirren, Chris Rock and Seth Rogen lead lineup
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- TIFF runs September 10-20, and its 2025 lineup is anchored by world premieres featuring Helen Mirren, Seth Rogen, and Chris Rock
- Mirren plays Patricia Highsmith in "A Talent for Murder," directed by Anton Corbijn (Control, A Most Wanted Man) and co-starring Alden Ehrenreich as a literary agent sent to Switzerland
- Rogen co-stars with Anna Kendrick, Issa Rae, Kate Berlant, and Sharon Stone in "Babies," a comedy-drama written and directed by his wife Lauren Miller Rogen about a childless couple forced into parenting
- Rock wrote and directs the A24 Hollywood comedy "Misty Green," alongside Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick, and Rosalind Eleazar
- Peter Farrelly directs "I Play Rocky" — a drama about the making of Sylvester Stallone's Oscar-winning film — starring Anthony Ippolito; Farrelly's "Green Book" went from a Toronto premiere to a best picture win
- Courteney Cox directs the crime thriller "Evil Genius," based on the true-crime docuseries about the "Pizza Bomber" Brian Wells, with Patricia Arquette and David Harbour
- Rebel Wilson's "Girl Group" premieres after legal issues stalled her first film as director; cast includes Jennifer Coolidge, Sheridan Smith, Melanie C, and Nicole Scherzinger
- Last year's festival premiered "Obsession," which became the highest-grossing festival acquisition of all time, earning $442m worldwide
Why it matters: TIFF has repeatedly launched Oscar winners — Green Book, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Still Alice, Dallas Buyers Club, and Silver Linings Playbook all premiered there — and last year's "Obsession" set a $442m acquisition record, meaning this September 10-20 slate is the first major scorecard of the 2025-26 awards season for studios and voters.
