"It's still early days, but some fall festival hopefuls are losing steam. Three Venice premieres include box-office disappointment "The Smashing Machine" (A24), starring Dwayne Johnson as a mixed martial artist, critically flayed "After the Hunt" (Amazon/MGM) starring Julia Roberts, and show-business story "Jay Kelly" (Netflix), starring George Clooney. And two TIFF crowdpleasers could use a box office boost: the Channing Tatum-starring true story "Roofman" (Paramount) and poignant Brendan Fraser vehicle "Rental Family" (Searchlight)."
"(Add Venice's South Korean entry "No Other Choice" from Park Chan-wook to the mix, and there's a good chance Neon could land all five final International Feature Film nominees.) " The Secret Agent" has its roots in the mutual admiration between Mendonça Filho and Maura, they told me at a packed London Hotel Q&A for Academy members last month in Los Angeles, where the two-hour-40-minute film played well."
Cannes festival films currently lead early momentum in the 2026 Oscar race, buoyed by competition berths and major prizes. Several fall festival premieres from Venice are underperforming, including box-office disappointment The Smashing Machine, critically panned After the Hunt, and Jay Kelly. Two TIFF crowdpleasers, Roofman and Rental Family, need stronger box office support to sustain awards season prospects. Distributors can amplify Oscar potential through campaigns, but maintaining momentum throughout the season remains uncertain. Neon acquired many Cannes prize winners submitted for Best International Feature, increasing the likelihood of multiple nominations. The Secret Agent emerged from mutual admiration between director Mendonça Filho and actor Wagner Maura.
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