Each year, the Cannes Film Festival creates a uniquely well-organized cinematic universe that centers around carefully curated gems, which go on to unlock their full potential in the awards season. Thierry Frémaux stands at the center of it all, determining which filmmakers receive access to the iconic red carpet. Frémaux has recently expressed his belief that major Hollywood filmmakers will return to the prestigious festival after Cannes completes preparations for its 2026 event, which includes Oscar winners Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson.

The biggest film festival essentially becomes a global gateway of exposure and cultural consonance, which now expects to host two of 2026's biggest names in Hollywood.

Thierry Frémaux has spoken about his desire to maintain Cannes' international prestige while also welcoming major Hollywood auteurs whose films usually sweep major awards to promote their works at the festival. Cannes intends to achieve a balance between artistic films and blockbuster storytelling, and according to Frémaux, the festival could bolster the viewership for this year's biggest Oscar winners.

In a conversation with Variety, Frémaux pointed out that although Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler's Sinners were not screened at Cannes, they swept all the major Oscars in 2026. However, the festival could have exposed them to a global market. He maintained confidence in having both filmmakers return to Cannes soon.

"They’ve had a tremendous run in theaters around the world. But I think I can say that their presence at Cannes would have allowed them to reach an even wider audience. [...] They’ll be back, I’m sure!"

Frémaux noted Ryan Coogler's breakthrough at Sundance and Un Certain Regard as well as Paul Thomas Anderson's regular Cannes attendance, resting assured they would return. However, the Hollywood studio films and the biggest film festival would remain more independent of each other than co-dependent, he maintained.

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Do Cannes film festival benefit from screening Hollywood blockbuster or is it the other way around? Frémaux has a firm answer.

Elsewhere in the same interview with Variety, the Cannes chief opened up about how Hollywood blockbusters perform well on their own with or without Cannes exposure, and vice versa. He cited the examples of Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and the likes, which were not screened at Cannes yet went on to bag Oscar nods. On the other hand, Anora bagged the golden statuette and also won the Palme d’Or.

"We are dependent on nothing other than the films themselves, and the world of cinema is vast. The proof is that non-U.S. films from Cannes are increasingly present on the American market… and at the Oscars!" Frémaux added. 

Oscar-winning rules and earning critical acclaim at Cannes are vastly different and not related. According to Frémaux, Hollywood studios, American films, and the Cannes Film Festival thrive on their own terms. However, a synergy is what drives the industry forward, for instance, Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson's imminent presence at the festival, which would ensure such a chord is struck. 

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What are your thoughts on Frémaux's belief? Let us know in the comments.