From Brangelina to Joaquin Phoenix: The Venice Red Carpet Will Be Filled With A-Listers and Intrigue

As a seasoned film festival enthusiast with countless red carpets and premieres under my belt, I can confidently say that this year’s Venice Film Festival is shaping up to be a spectacle for the ages! The lineup is nothing short of star-studded, with A-listers from all corners of Hollywood gracing the Lido with their presence.

The fall film festival circuit has always been a draw for top-tier actors, as it marks the beginning of awards season and presents an abundance of high-quality cinematic content on the big screen. However, when the Venice Film Festival revealed its lineup for the 81st edition, it conveyed something more: The return of movie stars! The Lido is brimming with famous faces, several of whom have “Oscar winner” before their names, making it one of the most eagerly awaited events of the season.

Front and center are the stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney in Jon Watts’ action drama. Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix will reappear as DC villains in Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Madness Duet” at Venice. Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore will revisit the canals for Pedro Almodóvar’s English debut, titled “The Room Next Door“. Daniel Craig leads Luca Guadagnino’s film “Queer“, featuring Lesley Manville and Drew Starkey. Nicole Kidman stars opposite Harris Dickinson and Antonio Banderas in Halina Reijn’s movie “Babygirl” at the Venice Film Festival. Cate Blanchett stars in Alfonso Cuarón’s small-screen series “Disclaimer“, alongside Kevin Kline and Sacha Baron Cohen, streaming on Apple TV+. Let’s not forget Tim Burton’s return to the underworld with an impressive cast for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice“, which includes Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, and Italian legend Monica Bellucci. A few other notable mentions: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Joe Alwyn will feature in Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist“; Nicholas Hoult, Jude Law, and Tye Sheridan will appear in Justin Kurzel’s “The Order“; and Peter Sarsgaard will return to Venice in Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5“.

Another notable celebrity deserving recognition is one whose name reflects another pattern at the festival this year. Instead of just bringing glamour and elegance, some stars will also carry a dose of drama (which could lead to intense discussions) during press conferences. Angelina Jolie, currently embroiled in a long-standing divorce with Brad Pitt, is scheduled to appear on the red carpet for the world premiere of Pablo Larraín’s film Maria, a biopic about renowned opera singer Maria Callas during her final days. Although it seems improbable that the former couple will encounter each other — organizers have ensured ample space between their films, with Maria premiering on August 29 and Wolfs debuting on September 1 — they might find it challenging to dodge personal inquiries during press lines. A seasoned publicist, strategically placed, has dismissed these concerns by stating, “The festival knows how to organize events skillfully to prevent such situations.”

There’s a good chance Phoenix will face questions about abruptly leaving Todd Haynes’ untitled gay romance film, which he abandoned mere days before production started in Mexico. This decision is said to have cost millions and may lead to a lawsuit. Producer Christine Vachon described the situation as a “nightmare” on Facebook, although her post has since been deleted. The betting crowd might wager that Clooney will be questioned about his recent sharp-tongued response in GQ to Quentin Tarantino’s comments, where he was called “not a movie star.” In response, Clooney told the magazine, “All right, dude, fuck off.” There’s also speculation that Travis Scott could make an appearance in Venice to see Harmony Korine’s new film, Baby Invasion, the sequel to Aggro Dr1ft, which stars the rapper (who was recently arrested in Paris during the Olympics).

Regardless of any gossip that arises during the press conferences or unconfirmed stories about certain substances being used (bringing back memories of Spitgate?), one thing can be definitively stated: There’s going to be an abundance of high-profile events. As Fest director Alberto Barbera told THR, it appears that this year’s red carpet will be the busiest we’ve seen in a decade.

This tale was initially published in the August 21 edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To stay updated, click here to subscribe.

2024-08-27 20:25

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