I thought I had heard a rumor that this might be the first Brangelina-less Cannes Film Festival in five years, but thank God it's not true. While Brad's latest film, the Terrence Malick-directed Tree of Life – isn't up for competition for the Palme d'Or, the film is going to get a major premiere and roll-out at the festival. And as for Angelina – well, she will likely be giving interviews too, because scenes from Kung Fu Panda 2 will also be getting a screening. Yay! Brangelina on the red carpet!
Cue the paparazzi: Cinema's rite of spring – the Cannes Film Festival – will feature an all-star cast, as will be officially announced on Thursday. But, for now, PEOPLE has learned that fans can expect to find Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, as well as Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson sharing the spotlight along the Croisette from May 11 through 22.[From People]
In addition, invitations to the 64th Cannes Fest are also out to Rolling Stone Keith Richards, Madonna, Jack Black and France's First Lady, Carla Bruni, who happens to be making her acting debut in a Woody Allen movie.
One thing is already for certain: Robert DeNiro will be sticking around the entire fest – he is the head of the jury that hands out the prizes.
Topping the list of premieres is the multi-generational saga Tree of Life, starring Pitt and Penn and directed by the highly regarded Terence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven). Pitt will no doubt remain in the South of France during the first half of the festival, which will also bring a sneak peek of Kung Fu Panda 2, featuring the voice of Jolie, as well as that of Dustin Hoffman and Jack Black.
Depp's appearance is keyed to a world premiere, that of Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which marks the return of Jack Sparrow. Cruz is among the costars.
The festival's previously announced Opening Selection, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, will bring to Cannes cast members Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody and, it is anticipated, Marion Cotillard, though she is due to give birth at the end of April.
Also on the agenda: a special tribute to the late Elizabeth Taylor, whose amFAR event to benefit her AIDS foundation has become an annual Cannes event.
Tree of Life is also supposed to be getting a big, splashy London premiere on May 4, but who knows if that date was set before the Cannes date? My guess is that the big premiere will be for the world's media at Cannes, and then they'll go directly to London for another big premiere. I'm seriously excited about this, even though I think Tree of Life looks like artsy BS. Oh, HOLD UP. Sean Penn is in Tree of Life too! Do you think Sean will bring his young lover Scarlett Johansson to the event so we can have a glittery sack fashion faceoff between ScarJo and Angelina? Oh, this makes my day!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
