Overview
- The non-competitive honor will be presented at the 79th festival’s opening ceremony, with Cannes running May 12–23.
- Festival leaders Iris Knobloch and Thierry Frémaux praised his impact on cinema, calling him a transformative figure with "larger-than-life" storytelling.
- Jackson said the tribute is one of his greatest career privileges and recalled Cannes milestones in 1988 for Bad Taste and a 26-minute Fellowship of the Ring preview in 2001.
- The official 2026 lineup will be announced on April 9, and Park Chan-wook will preside over the jury.
- Recent industry reporting notes Jackson is producing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, set to be directed by Andy Serkis.