What to know about the London Film Festival 2026

LONDON (AP) — Hot on the heels of Cannes and Venice, it's London's turn to shine and roll out the red carpet for this year’s crop of buzzy films and international stars.

The 70th London Film Festival, which opens Wednesday, will feature a mix of award hopefuls and world premieres over 12 days of screenings and events, with actors including Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Cynthia Erivo, Robert Pattinson, Jenna Ortega and Sebastian Stan expected on red carpets in coming days.

Theater is in the spotlight as Simon Stone’s “Elsinore,” a biographical drama on actor Ian Charleson’s final performance, starring Olivia Colman and Andrew Scott, opens the festival.

Scott said it was “incredibly cool” to have the film open the festival on London's Southbank, "because where the screening takes place tonight is literally 30 seconds away from the National Theater where the movie is set. So that is very, very special and all the gang will be there.”

Meanwhile, Jesse Eisenberg’s musical comedy “The Debut" closes proceedings on Oct. 18. The film stars Julianne Moore as a housewife whose casting in a community theater production turns her into a method actor.

Two animated films are debuting at the festival.

Stop-motion animated fantasy film “Wildwood” from Laika, about two teenagers who get lost in a magical forest, will have its world premiere. The feature, starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Carey Mulligan, Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay. is one of the most anticipated titles to be shown.

Another animation, Brad Bird’s neo noir animation “Ray Gunn," which follows the adventures of a small-time detective voiced by Sam Rockwell and a pop singer played by Scarlett Johansson, will also have its debut premiere at the festival.

Other highlights include Venice Film Festival hit “Wild Horse Nine," for which John Malkovich got the Volpi Cup for best actor for playing a dying CIA operative. Malkovich and co-star Sam Rockwell hope to continue the buzz for the dark political comedy in London Friday.

Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial” turns to Silicon Valley, with Andrew Garfield portraying OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman during the company’s rise and turmoil after he was kicked out of the company.

Danny Boyle’s “Ink" is a prominent British entry starring Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch. Elsewhere, Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Klara and the Sun” features Jenna Ortega as an artificial companion seeking a home.

Robert Pattinson brings his portrayal of “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen in “Primetime” to London audiences, while James Gray reunites Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver on screen for his crime drama “Paper Tiger.”

For international cinema, the festival includes the Cannes sensation “La Bola Negra” from Spanish co-directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, about the lives of gay men in Madrid. South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong brings “Possible Love” fresh from its run in Venice, while Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev will show thriller “Minotaur.”

The 70th edition combines major premieres with an international competition, as well as television features. They include Michael Winterbottom’s “The Trip to the Northern Lights,” reuniting Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and Marvel’s new series “VisionQuest” starring Paul Bettany and James Spader.

Ten films compete for the festival’s best film award. Contenders include Hirokazu Koreeda’s “Look Back,” Carol Morley’s “7 Miles Out” and Sergei Loznitsa’s “Imperium.” Separate awards recognize documentaries, first features and shorts.

The festival also extends beyond London with 10 partner venues across the United Kingdom, so audiences can watch some of the line up at cinemas across the country.

Plenty of stars will make more than one gala appearance.

Johansson has “Ray Gunn” and “Paper Tiger,” which both premier on Saturday. Her “Ray Gunn” co-star Rockwell is also in “Wild Horse Nine.”

Spanish superstar couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem each has two movies, including one in which they acted together, Florian Zeller’s “Bunker.”

Then Cruz will support “La Bola Negra” and Bardem will be on the red carpet for “The Beloved.”

There’s also a selection of screen talks from the likes of Erivo, Sofia Coppola and Ava DuVernay.

While most of the films have already been shown at other festivals, the London event is more of a festival for the people, with public screenings a big part of its appeal.

General ticket sales opened Sept. 17, and young people can apply for discounted tickets, Many screenings have sold out, though additional tickets may be released.

The festival runs Oct. 7 to Oct. 18 and includes 251 titles from 88 countries, spanning feature films, shorts, television series and immersive works.

Screenings are spread across BFI Southbank and other London cinemas. Intrepid fans can catch a glimpse of their idols from the top of the main venue's staircase and balconies overlooking the red carpet.