The A-List Invasion Of A Frozen City
Get your parkas ready and prepare for the most chaotic red carpet of the year because Hollywood is officially hijacking Scotland. The organizers of the Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) just dropped their massive lineup for the 2026 edition and it is a bizarre mix of mega-star egos, experimental gambles, and a desperate attempt to monetize a dead icon. Taking place from February 25 to March 8 this festival is usually a quiet celebration of cinema but this year it looks like a full-blown celebrity circus is coming to town.
We are talking heavy hitters. Angelina Jolie. Jude Law. Willem Dafoe. These are not people who usually spend their winters in Glasgow unless a massive check or a desperate need for artistic validation is involved. Insiders are whispering that this lineup is a strategic move to put the festival on the global map competing with the likes of Sundance and Berlin. But with the unpredictable Scottish weather and the notoriously rowdy local crowds this could easily turn into a PR nightmare for the stars accustomed to the sunshine of Los Angeles.
The festival claims to be showcasing 126 films including 16 world premieres but let us be real. Everyone is looking at the headliners. Is Angelina Jolie trying to reinvent herself again? Is Jude Law chasing an Oscar? And why is Willem Dafoe in literally everything? The pacing of this announcement feels frantic like the organizers are throwing every name they have at the wall to see what sticks.
Angelina Jolie's High Fashion Gamble
The biggest headline grabber is undoubtedly Angelina Jolie starring in the film Couture. The title alone screams vanity project. The film is billed as a high-fashion world drama which usually translates to beautiful costumes and very little plot. Jolie has been somewhat hit-or-miss with her acting choices in recent years often focusing more on her directing or humanitarian work. This return to a glamorous lead role feels like a calculated move to reclaim her throne as the queen of the screen.
Sources close to the production whisper that Jolie is treating this film as her major comeback vehicle. Bringing it to the UK for a premiere suggests she wants to court the serious European critics rather than the popcorn-munching American audiences. But will the gamble pay off? Couture could either be a stunning return to form or a pretentious disaster that gets laughed out of the theater. In the fashion world one day you are in and the next day you are out and the same applies to Hollywood.
omg angelina in a fashion movie?? i need the red carpet looks immediately. if she doesn't serve it's over for her.
The pressure is on. If the movie flops in Glasgow the bad buzz will follow it everywhere. Jolie is a veteran pro but even she must be sweating knowing that the industry vultures are circling waiting to see if she still has that movie star magic or if she should stick to the UN speeches.
James McAvoy's Risky Directorial Debut
Speaking of pressure let us talk about local hero James McAvoy. The X-Men star is putting his entire reputation on the line by closing the festival with his directorial debut California Schemin'. This is a massive risk. We have seen countless actors try to pivot to directing and crash burning spectacularly. Ryan Gosling anyone? For McAvoy to choose his hometown festival for the premiere means he is either incredibly confident or terrifyingly naive.
The film was shot in Glasgow and features a local cast which sounds nice on paper but often results in a project that is too niche for a global audience. The title California Schemin' suggests a play on the rapping duo or a scam story but details are being kept under tight wraps. Is it a comedy? A drama? A musical? The ambiguity is fueling speculation that the project might be a chaotic mess.
Closing the festival is a slot usually reserved for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If McAvoy's movie stinks he is going to have to walk out on that stage and face a hometown crowd that does not suffer fools gladly. The silence from his camp regarding the plot details is suspicious. Usually if you have a hit you are screaming it from the rooftops. We will be watching the audience reaction closely to see if they cheer or if they rush for the exits.
Resurrecting Marilyn Monroe For Cash And Clout
In what might be the most controversial move of the entire festival the organizers have decided to celebrate the "Marilyn Monroe 100" program. Yes that is right. 100 years after her birth and decades after her tragic death the entertainment industry is still refusing to let Marilyn Monroe rest in peace. The festival plans to screen a string of the icon's classic hits including Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
While on the surface this looks like a tribute many critics view it as a lazy attempt to capitalize on the never-ending obsession with Monroe's image. After the disaster that was Blonde on Netflix and the endless merchandising of her face does the world really need another retrospective? It feels like a cheap way to sell tickets by exploiting a woman who was exploited her entire life.
can we please let marilyn rest?? she has been through enough. this feels like a cash grab. just play new movies.
The timing is also suspect. By anchoring a film festival in 2026 with movies from the 1950s it signals a lack of faith in the current crop of releases. Are the new movies so bad that they have to drag Marilyn out of the vault to get people in seats? It is a nostalgia play plain and simple and it reeks of desperation.
Pop Star Charli XCX Tries To Act
Another wild card in the lineup is pop sensation Charli XCX starring in the relationship drama Erupcja. This is a classic move for a singer trying to be taken seriously as an artiste. But the track record for pop stars turning into dramatic actors is spotty at best. For every Lady Gaga there is a Mariah Carey in Glitter. Charli is known for her hyper-pop sound and party girl aesthetic so seeing her in a serious relationship drama is going to be jarring.
The film's title Erupcja sounds intense and potentially pretentious. Is she going to be doing a foreign accent? Is she going to be crying on cue? The potential for unintentional comedy here is high. Fans of her music are excited but film snobs are already sharpening their knives. If she delivers a wooden performance the reviews will be merciless.
This is a pivotal moment for her career. If she nails it she opens up a whole new revenue stream. If she bombs she will be running back to the recording studio faster than you can say auto-tune. The festival is taking a huge risk giving this film a prime slot.
Willem Dafoe Is Everywhere And It Is Weird
Is there a cloning facility somewhere producing multiple copies of Willem Dafoe? The man is listed in the program for not one but two premieres: Late Fame and The Birthday Party. At this point Dafoe is in more movies than the MGM lion. While he is undoubtedly a legend his overexposure is starting to become a running joke in the industry.
The Birthday Party sounds like a harmless title but knowing Dafoe's penchant for dark twisted roles it is probably a psychological horror where the cake is made of nightmares. And Late Fame? That sounds suspiciously meta. The man works harder than anyone in Hollywood but maybe he needs to take a nap. Having two films in one festival lineup is aggressive even for him.
It also raises the question: Are these movies actually good or did they just cast Dafoe to give them legitimacy? Often indie filmmakers will pay top dollar for a named actor to do a few days of work just to get the movie into festivals. We have to wonder if Dafoe is the lead in these films or if he just pops up for five minutes to do a creepy laugh and leave.
Jude Law And The Political Thriller Drama
Adding to the star power is Jude Law appearing in the political thriller The Wizard of the Kremlin alongside Paul Dano and Alicia Vikander. This film sounds like a geopolitical minefield. Given the current state of world affairs releasing a movie about the Kremlin is a bold choice that is sure to attract controversy. Is it pro-Russia? Anti-Russia? Or just a spy romp using real-world tension for entertainment?
Law has been taking on more character-driven roles lately but a political thriller is a high-wire act. If the film mishandles the subject matter it could be ripped apart by critics and activists alike. The casting of Paul Dano also suggests this is going to be a quirky intense ride. Dano does not do normal. Expect screaming expect sweat and expect Jude Law looking dashing while the world burns around him.
This is the kind of movie that generates headlines not for the acting but for the message. The red carpet questions for this one are going to be awkward. Watch for the cast to give very rehearsed PR-approved answers to avoid getting cancelled.
Emma Thompson And The Activist Angle
Of course you cannot have a film festival without Emma Thompson getting involved in something socially conscious. She is executive producing the opening documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street. The film covers a community resisting immigration raids in Glasgow. It is a powerful local story but with Thompson's name attached critics will be watching to see if it feels authentic or like Hollywood preaching.
Thompson is beloved but her activism sometimes rubs people the wrong way. By opening the festival with this documentary the GFF is making a strong political statement right out of the gate. It sets a serious tone for the event. This is not just about escapism it is about resistance. Whether the champagne-sipping VIPs at the after-parties will care about the message is another story entirely.
The Cliffhanger: Will It Be A Triumph Or A Train Wreck
As we count down the days to February 25 the tension is palpable. New program head Paul Gallagher has clearly swung for the fences with this lineup but big swings often lead to big misses. Will Angelina Jolie reclaim her glory? Will James McAvoy survive his directorial debut? Will the ghost of Marilyn Monroe haunt the screenings?
There are too many moving parts and too many massive egos converging on one freezing Scottish city. Rumors of travel nightmares and diva demands are already starting to circulate. If the weather turns bad and the flights get grounded we could be looking at a red carpet with no stars. Or worse we could see a festival filled with flops that tank the careers of everyone involved. Keep your eyes peeled because when GFF kicks off the drama off-screen is guaranteed to be better than anything playing in the theaters.
