Baz Luhrmann's Leonardo Dicaprio and Carey Mulligan-staring re-boot of The Great Gatsby will open this year's Cannes Film Festival, the festival's organisers revealed yesterday (March 11), giving the movie a premiere fitting of the affluent themes exhibited throughout the F. Scott Fitzgerald penned story. The always glamorous festival will begin on May 15, with Luhrmann's adaptation of the exposé of the Roaring Twenties, becoming the third Hollywood blockbuster (after Up and Robin Hood) in the space of five years to open up the prestigious event on France's south coast.

Following yet another year of Oscar failure, Leonardo DiCaprio has finall taken to the drink

Has Leonardo DiCaprio hit the bottle following another year of Oscar failure (or is he just the new spokesperson for Jim Beam?)

In addition to being the third Hollywood film to be screened first at the distinctly European event in such a short period, the film will also be only the film to be shown at the festival in 3D, after Up first did four years ago. In keeping with the festival's traditions, the film will not be in contention for any awards, having waived that right by being screened on opening night. The film has been slated for a May 10 release in American cinemas. However it is thought that the film's producers at Warner Bros. may move the date back to coincide with the Cannes screening instead. If this happens, it wouldn't be the first time it has had its release date moved back, with Gatsby originally planned to be released in December 2012 or early 2013.

For those unfamiliar with the story, The Great Gatsby follows protagonist Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), a out of towner who moves to New York's glitzy Long Island in the 1920s where he becomes infatuated with his mysterious and hedonistic neighbour Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio). Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke also star.