The 82nd Venice International Film Festival, scheduled for August 27 – September 6, 2025, is shaping up to be a high-caliber event, anchored by heavyweight world premieres in both its main competition and sidebar sections.

Among the most buzzed-about titles:

• The Smashing Machine: Directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, this gripping biopic features Dwayne Johnson transforming into MMA legend Mark Kerr, supported by Emily Blunt as Kerr’s wife. The film delves into the intense highs and lows of Kerr’s storied, tumultuous life.
  
  
• After the Hunt: Italian auteur Luca Guadagnino makes a bold return with a dark, intense crime drama starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Chloë Sevigny. The director positions the film as an evolution of his cinematic sensibility following his 2023 entry Queer.
  
  
• Bugonia: Yorgos Lanthimos teams up again with Emma Stone (alongside Jesse Plemons), continuing their successful creative partnership. The film marks Lanthimos’s anticipated return to Venice’s spotlight.

Streaming Giants and Prestige Studios Rejoin the Festival Fray

After a subdued presence in 2024, Netflix appears ready to make a comeback:

• The Ballad of a Small Player: Directed by Edward Berger and set in Macau, this film showcases Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton navigating a world of intrigue. While Netflix was absent last year, insiders anticipate a strong showing with this drama.

Focus Features is also positioning itself for a competitive festival run with multiple projects:

1. Hamnet – Chloe Zhao directs this historical drama centered on William Shakespeare. Featuring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film deals with the grief surrounding the death of Shakespeare’s son.
   
   
2. Bugonia – Also backed by Focus Features, it further cements the studio’s major presence in Venice this year.

Genre Variety and International Voices

The 2025 Venice program further diversifies with a range of genres and global filmmakers:

• Father Mother Sister Brother (Jim Jarmusch): A comedy-drama starring Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver, this Mubi-backed film skipped Cannes and seems destined for Venice.
  
  
• Rosebush Pruning (Karim Aïnouz): A thriller shot in English with Elle Fanning, Riley Keough, and Pamela Anderson.
  
  
• Sacrifice (Romain Gavras): Featuring Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Charli XCX.
  
  
• Couture (Alice Winocour): A fashion-world drama headlined by Angelina Jolie.
  
  
• Orphan (László Nemes): A period drama from the Oscar-winning director of Son of Saul.
  
  
• No Other Choice (Park Chan-wook): A dark comedy marking a two-decade return since Lady Vengeance.
  
  
• Anemone (Ronan Day-Lewis): Daniel Day-Lewis returns to acting in his son’s film.
  
  

Additional films include Ilker Çatak’s Yellow Letters, Emily Atef’s Call Me Queen, Nanouk Leopold’s Whitetail (filmed in Ireland), and Dara Van Dusen’s western A Prayer for the Dying starring John C. Reilly and Johnny Flynn. There’s even a possible return to documentary form with Lucrecia Martel’s project about Indigenous activist Javier Chocobar.

Festival Aspirations and Jury Highlights

With Alexander Payne serving as jury president, and lifetime achievement awards slated for Werner Herzog and Kim Novak, Venice is preparing a rich and ambitious cinematic celebration. Industry insiders are already predicting that Venice 2025 will surpass Cannes in terms of prestige and artistic diversity.

Final Take

The Venice Film Festival 2025 is shaping up to be a thrilling blend of high-profile headlines and eclectic global voices. From Dwayne Johnson’s dramatic transformation and Daniel Day‑Lewis’s long-awaited return, to auteurs like Guadagnino, Lanthimos, and Zhao spearheading ambitious narratives, the Lido is gearing up for an unforgettable cinematic feast. Film lovers should get ready—this edition promises bold storytelling, major premieres, and unforgettable moments in global cinema.