The Venice film festival which launches in late August has announced its official line up for 2019. Brad Pitt’s space drama Ad Astra and Robert Pattinson’s Shakespearean drama The King are among those set for world premieres.

Meryl Steep and Gary Oldman’s Steven Sodenberg drama The Laundromat is also included in this year’s line-up.

In a controversial move director Roman Polanski, currently locked in a legal battle over his recent expulsion from the American Academy, will screen his latest film An Officer and a Spy at the festival.

Marriage story featuring Scarlett Johansson and Adam driver also features this year as does Joaquin Phoenix much anticipated comic book movie Joker.

Overall the line-up is considered to potentially have fewer Oscar front runner compared to last year’s selection which launched The Favourite, First Man and A Star Is Born with world premieres.