2025 Cannes Film Festival Lineup: 12 Films To Know

Denzel Washtington in “Highest 2 Lowest.” Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s Highest 2 Lowest are making tneir world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. What other big movies are debuting at the prestigious annual event? Cannes, in the South of France is of course the destination for the 78th annual event, where filmmakers seek distributors for their work. The festival is also notable, though, for its lavish premieres of high-profile films and the attendance of some of the biggest stars and filmmakers in the world. Forbes 2025 Cannes Film Festival: Where To Stream Events Live By Tim Lammers There will be no shortage of star power this year, of course, thanks to Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie and the cast and crew of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning , which is presumably the last of Cruise’s espionage-action film series that began in 1996. Cannes kicked off Tuesday by celebrating legendary Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro with an honorary Palme d’Or, which is the festival’s biggest award, as well as the screening of the French comedy Partir un Jour (Leave One Day). Here’s a look at 12 of the biggest films premiering at Cannes and what days they will screen at the festival. ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ (May 14) Official summary: “Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning .” Cruise plays Ethan for the eighth and presumably final time in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning , which is directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The film is a continuation of 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning , where Ethan and his Impossible Mission Force team members attempt to stop The Entity — a self-aware artificial intelligence program — from destroying the world. Forbes ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Gets Disney+ Streaming Date By Tim Lammers Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning also stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Angela Bassett, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Greg Tarzan Davis, Shea Whigham, Nick Offerman and Hannah Waddingham. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is playing Out of Competition at Cannes. ‘Eddington’ (May 16) Official summary: In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.” Writer-director Ari Aster ( Midsommar , Hereditary ) reteams with his Beau is Afraid star Phoenix for Eddington , a neo-Western comedy drama that also stars Emma Stone, Luke Grimes and Austin Butler. Eddington is playing In Competition at Cannes. ‘Bono: Stories Of Surrender’ (May 16) Official summary: “ Bono: Stories of Surrender is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief... “As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star.” Forbes ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Arrives On Digital Streaming This Week By Tim Lammers Directed by Andrew Dominik, Bono: Stories of Surrender includes footage from Bono’s tour of the one-man stage show and performances of many of his songs from U2. Bono: Stories of Surrender is playing in the Special Screenings section at Cannes. Imogen Poots in “The Chonology of Water.” ‘The Chronology Of Water’ (May 16) Official summary: “Brought up in an environment torn apart by violence and alcohol, Lidia Yuknavitch (Imogen Poots) seemed destined for self-destruction and failure until words offered her unexpected freedom in the form of literature.” The Chronology of Water marks actor Kristen Stewart’s debut as a feature film director. The film also stars Thora Birch, Jim Belushi and Tom Sturridge. The Chronology of Water is playing in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Jennifer Lawrence in “Die My Love.” ‘Die My Love’ (May 17) Official summary: “In a remote, forgotten rural area, a mother (Lawrence) struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis.” Directed by Lynne Ramsay ( We Need to Talk About Kevin ), Die My Love also stars Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek. Die My Love is playing In Competition at Cannes. ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ (May 18) Official summary: “The story of a family and a family business.” Directed by Wes Anderson, the offbeat comedy adventure follows European businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) and his only daughter and sole heir, Sister Liesel (Mia Threapleton), who are both being targeted by assassins and schemers. The film also stars Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Richard Ayoade, Riz Ahmed, Hope Davis, Rupert Friend, Mathieu Amalric and Michael Cera. The Phoenician Scheme is playing In Competition at Cannes Guillaume Marbeck and Richard Linklater on the set of “Nouvelle Vague (New Wave).” ‘Nouvelle Vague (New Wave)’ (May 17) Official summary: “This is the story of Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) making Breathless , told in the style and spirit in which Godard made Breathless .” Directed by Richard Linklater, the comedy also stars Zoey Deutsch and Aubry Dullin. Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) is playing In Compeition at Cannes. ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ (May 19) Official summary: When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the ‘best ears in the business,’ is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma. “Brothers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee reunite for the 5th in their long working relationship for a reinterpretation of the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low , now played out on the mean streets of modern-day New York City.” Forbes Every Spike Lee Movie, Ranked And In Release Order By Sughnen Yongo Directed by Lee, Highest 2 Lowest also stars Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera and A$AP Rocky. Highest 2 Lowest is playing Out of Competition at Cannes. June Squibb in “Eleanor the Great.” Eleanor The Great (May 21) Official Summary: “In Eleanor The Great , June Squibb brings to vivid life the witty and proudly troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein, who after a devastating loss, tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own. Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is a comically poignant exploration of how the stories we hear become the stories we tell.” Eleanor the Great also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, Rita Zohar and Erin Kellyman. Eleanor The Great is playing in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Paul Mescal in “The History of Sound.” ‘The History of Sound’ (May 22) Official summary: “Lionel is a talented singer from rural Kentucky, raised on the songs his father would sing on the front porch. In 1917, he leaves his family farm to attend the Boston Music Conservatory. There he meets David, a charming music composing student who is soon drafted into the end of the war. In 1920, the two spend a winter walking through the forests and islands of Maine, collecting folk songs in order to preserve them for future generations. Forbes ‘John Wick’ Documentary ‘Wick Is Pain’ With Keanu Reeves Is New On Streaming – How To Watch By Tim Lammers “Lionel drifts through Europe in his twenties and thirties, building a new life of profound success and happiness, and experiencing new loves. Yet he is constantly drawn back to memories of his brief time with David, trying to understand the impact of their relationship. Eventually, a reminder of their work together reveals why their connection rang loud.” Directed by Oliver Hermanus ( Living ), The History of Sound stars Paul Mescal as Lionel and Josh O’Connor as David. The History of Sound is playing In Competition at Cannes. Josh O’Connor in “The Mastermind.” ‘The Mastermind’ (May 23) Official summary: In a sedate corner of Massachusetts circa 1970, JB Mooney (Josh O’Connor), an unemployed carpenter turned amateur art thief, plans his first big heist. When things go haywire, his life unravels.” Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt ( Certain Women , First Cow ), The Mastermind also stars Gaby Hoffman, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Alana Haim and Bill Camp. The Mastermind is playing In Competition at Cannes. ‘Honey Don’t!’ (May 24) Official summary: Honey Don’t! is a dark comedy about Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley), a small-town private investigator who delves into a series of strange deaths tied to a mysterious church.” Directed by Ethan Coen, Honey Don’t! also stars Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Lena Hall and Charlie Day. Honey Don’t! is playing in the Midnight Screenings section and Out of Competition at Cannes. The 2025 Cannes Film Festival runs May 13-24. Forbes How Did Sally Field React To Son’s Horror Film ‘Clown In A Cornfield’? By Tim Lammers Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/05/13/2025-cannes-film-festival-12-films-to-know/