New York Times: Hollywood ghosted Cannes

The New York Times published an opinion essay on May 21 arguing that Hollywood largely stayed away from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, leaving the Croisette with fewer stars, fewer parties and less of the studio spectacle that has long defined the event. The piece, published under the headline “Hollywood Says Au Revoir to Cannes,” said the movie business had “better things to do” than stage its usual Riviera display this year. Other trade coverage and commentary published before and during the festival described the same broad pattern: no major U.S. studio premiere, a thinner celebrity footprint and more attention on auteur films and ovation tallies than on blockbuster launches. ### Did Hollywood actually skip Cannes, or just scale back? The clearest measure is that no major Hollywood studio brought a marquee premiere to Cannes in 2026. The Hollywood Reporter said on May 11 that this was the first time since 2017 that not a single film from a major Hollywood studio would premiere at the festival, even though some U.S. independent films remained in the lineup. Variety reported the same day that major studios were sitting out the 79th edition, with international auteurs filling more of the spotlight. (nytimes.com) Thierry Frémaux, Cannes’ artistic director, acknowledged the reduced studio presence when the lineup was announced on April 8. “The U.S. will be present [at this year’s festival], the studios less [so],” Frémaux said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ### What was missing on the ground in Cannes? The New York Times opinion piece described a festival with fewer movie stars, fewer oligarch megayachts in the bay, fewer parties and more aggressive paparazzi competing over a smaller field of celebrity targets. (hollywoodreporter.com) Bloomberg Opinion, writing on May 16, also framed Cannes as a traditionally glitzy event whose usual Hollywood contingent was absent this year. Variety said Cannes looked “less star-studded than usual,” with high-profile studio projects from directors including Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg not heading to the Côte d’Azur. The outlet said glamour had not disappeared entirely, pointing to stars attached to international films and a jury that included Demi Moore, but the center of gravity had shifted away from U.S. studio launches. (nytimes.com) ### Why did studios stay away this year? Costs were one reason cited in trade coverage. The Hollywood Reporter said travel, accommodations and security for A-list talent in Cannes can run into seven figures for a major release, making the festival an easy expense to cut while the U.S. entertainment business remains under pressure. (variety.com) Risk was another factor. A veteran publicist quoted by The Hollywood Reporter said a Cannes screening can backfire if a film plays badly with journalists, while Variety said some studios saw little reason to spend millions promoting movies months ahead of release only to risk hostile early reactions from critics. John Sloss, founder of Cinetic Media, told Variety that Cannes has “always been challenging” for American awards films because of where it falls on the calendar. (hollywoodreporter.com) ### If the blockbusters were gone, what replaced them? Vulture’s “Standing-O-Meter,” published May 20 and updated during the festival, tracked applause lengths for Cannes 2026 screenings, underscoring how much of the conversation had turned toward reception inside the Palais. The same Vulture coverage around Cannes 2026 highlighted anticipated films from directors including Ira Sachs, James Gray and Nicolas Winding Refn rather than studio tentpoles. (hollywoodreporter.com) Trade coverage also pointed to Cannes’ market function continuing even without studio premieres. Variety said executives were still expected in the south of France to buy finished films and packaged projects for 2026 and 2027 release slates. ### What should readers watch next? May 24 is the scheduled closing date of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, when the Palme d’Or and other prizes are due to be awarded. (vulture.com) Vulture’s ovation tracker is continuing through the festival’s final screenings, while trade outlets including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are following acquisitions and jury results. (variety.com)