Venice gets surge of star power

Stars from Angelina Jolie to George Clooney gather this week at the Venice Film Festival, bringing a high dose of Hollywood pizzazz back to the watery city's sandy Lido.

With 21 films vying for the top Golden Lion prize, the 81st edition of the prestigious festival kicks off today, with Lady Gaga, Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt expected on the red carpet during the 10-day affair.

The dazzle is welcome after Hollywood strikes last year kept most studio films and their A-lister stars away from the world's longest-running festival, known as "La Mostra."

In the spotlight, but out of competition, is "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," the long anticipated sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 cult classic that opens the festival today, with Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder reprising their original roles.

High-profile contenders in the main competition include Todd Phillips' "Joker: Folie a Deux," the sequel to the U.S. director's 2019 Venice-winning film that sees Joaquin Phoenix paired with Lady Gaga, and "Queer" from Italy's Luca Guadagnino starring Craig, based on the William Burroughs novel set in 1940s Mexico City.

Jolie headlines "Maria," a Maria Callas biopic from Chile's Pablo Larrain who returns to Venice following his Diana drama "Spencer" in 2021, while Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas star in erotic thriller "Babygirl" from Dutch director Halina Reijn.

To keep the drama on the screen — and avoid it behind-the-scenes — "Maria" will premiere on the festival's first full day Thursday, while "Wolfs" starring Jolie's ex, Brad Pitt, will screen out of competition on Sept. 1.

Joining Pitt in the Apple TV+ film from "Spider-Man" director Jon Watts is Clooney, with the actors playing rival professional fixers in the...