The 81st Venice Film Festival kicks off tomorrow and it’s set to continue its legacy as a hotbed of dealmakers, party goers and luxury brand sponsorship. Our man on the inside gives the lowdown on what to expect this time around. “The Ghost with the Most is Back” proclaim the Venetian billboards for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
The Warner Bros film, starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega will open the 81 st Venice Film Festival tomorrow. Warner Bros will also premiere Joker: Folie a Deux with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix. The original Joker won the festival’s coveted Golden Lion on its way to 11 Oscar nominations and $1bn at the box office.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav will be hoping that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Joker 2 will bring much needed box office revenues after announcing a $11.2 billion write-down this month.
The Venice Film Festival takes place on the island of the Lido, with the big deal-making and press junkets taking place at the glamorous Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido. If there were Oscars for Venetian hotels, the Excelsior would surely be deserving of Best Picture. Last year I sealed the financing deal for my new film, Oxbridge, at the Excelsior’s wonderful Adriatico terrace restaurant, which serves the best grilled seafood in Venice.
Unlike Cannes, tickets to the world premieres are on sale to the public. Venice attracts deep-pocketed sponsors including Armani Beauty, Mastercard and Cartier, who provide €5m o.