The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is set to bring some of cinema's most celebrated voices back to the Croisette, as new films from Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, and Richard Linklater have been officially selected to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or, festival organisers announced on Thursday (April 9).

Following a successful 2024 edition that yielded the Academy Award-winning "Anora", along with major Oscar contenders such as "Emilia Pérez", "The Substance" and "The Apprentice", the 2025 line-up promises another year dominated by renowned auteurs.

Festival General Delegate Thierry Frémaux revealed the official selection during a press conference held in Paris, alongside festival president Iris Knobloch.

When asked whether the festival felt any pressure following last year's string of Oscar hits, Frémaux likened the experience to an athlete defending a championship title.

"What happened last year was great," he said. "And what happened the year before was great. Over the past seven or eight years, Cannes and its films have been remarkable."

This year's competition slate for the 78th Cannes Film Festival features a host of cinematic heavyweights, with entries including Ari Aster's "Eddington", a pandemic-era Western starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone; Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme", featuring Benicio Del Toro as a European profiteer; and Richard Linklater's French-language offering "Nouvelle Vague", centred around Jean-Luc Godard and the rise of the French New Wave.

Returning to the Croisette is Julia Ducournau, whose "Titane" earned her the Palme d'Or in 2021, making her only the second woman ever to receive Cannes' highest honour. Her latest work, "Alpha", is set in 1980s New York and follows the life of an 11-year-old child whose parent is living with AIDS.

Actor Josh O'Connor appears in two films competing for the Palme d'Or: "The History of Sound" by Oliver Hermanus, where he stars opposite Paul Mescal, and Kelly Reichardt's "The Mastermind", an art heist narrative set during the Vietnam War.

A total of 19 films have been announced in competition by Thierry Frémaux, six of which are directed by female filmmakers. 

Cannes regulars Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who have won the Palme d'Or twice, return with "Young Mothers". 

Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, whose "The Worst Person in the World" left a strong mark in 2021, returns with "Sentimental Value", once again starring Renate Reinsve.

Also making a significant return is Iranian director Jafar Panahi. Following his imprisonment during the release of 2022's "No Bears", Panahi is set to present his latest film, "Un Simple Accident".

Notably absent from the line-up are several highly anticipated titles, including Terrence Malick's long-gestating Jesus drama "The Way of the Wind", Spike Lee's Akira Kurosawa remake "Highest 2 Lowest", and Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another". 

Films from Jim Jarmusch and Kristen Stewart, both of whom were expected to feature this year, were also missing from the announcement.

When asked about the absence of some highly anticipated titles, Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux declined to comment, choosing instead to focus on the films that had been officially selected. He did, however, mention that additional titles may still be added to the line-up.

Just an hour after the Paris press conference, filmmaker Spike Lee took to Instagram to confirm that his latest work, "Highest 2 Lowest", will indeed be part of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Representatives for the festival have not yet issued an official response to Lee's announcement.

In the Un Certain Regard section, Scarlett Johansson will make her directorial debut with "Eleanor the Great", starring June Squibb. Joining her in this sidebar is Harris Dickinson—best known for "Babygirl"—who will premiere his first directorial project, "Urchin".

Music legend Bono is also expected to make an appearance at Cannes for the special screening of "Bono: Stories of Surrender", a film directed by Andrew Dominik that captures the singer's one-man stage performance.

The festival had earlier confirmed that "Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning" will have its global premiere at Cannes. The franchise's star, Tom Cruise, had previously received an honorary Palme d'Or at the festival three years ago.

This year, the honour will go to legendary actor Robert De Niro, who is set to receive the award during the opening ceremony.

Juliette Binoche will lead the jury for the 2025 edition, following in the footsteps of Greta Gerwig.

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Tom Cruise starrer ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’ to premiere at Cannes

Festival president Iris Knobloch noted that this marks the first time in six decades that two women have consecutively presided over the Cannes jury.

The 78th Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 13 to 24. Opening night will feature "Leave One Day", the debut feature from French filmmaker Amélie Bonnin, screening out of competition.