Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
A24 is down, Neon is unknown, Yorgos Lanthimos saves the planet, Cate Blanchett's Scooby-Doo, and a Palme d’Or contender.
Let’s go!
CANNES TITLES GET ABDUCTED (ACQUIRED)
At the Cannes Film Festival this weekend, buyers snatched up a hoard of prestige indie films from established auteurs and newcomers.
Here’s a breakdown:
Focus Features:
Official Synopsis:
Bugonia follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
The film is an adaptation of the South Korean comedy Save the Green Planet (2003, trailer). There’s a profound wackiness that feels perfect for Lanthimos to envelop with his directorial tendrils.
Outside Cannes, Focus Features bought the international rights for a modern-day retelling of Hamlet, set in London, starring Riz Ahmed.
A24:
The Entertainment System is Down (US rights)
Dir: Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Brühl, and now Samantha Morton and maybe Succession’s Nicholas Braun
Östlund described the story:
“Basically right after take-off, the flight attendants realize they have a problem: the entertainment system is down. This means that the passengers are doomed to deal with their own boredom. This will be the core of the story. On a society level, what happens if we take away entertainment?”
Östlund has bought a decommissioned 747 airplane for the shoot.
Release date Cannes 2026?
Mubi:
In competition
Synopsis:
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