Cannes Lightning Round: Deals Made, Parnassus Pics Leaked

After much ado and some big Weinsteinian talk, the Cannes Film Festival finally opens in a few hours with the world premiere of Up. But healthy helpings of advance talk continue, from early acquisitions to more Heath Ledger sightings (online, anyway). Find today's sampling after the jump.

· New photos continue to trickle out from the set of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Terry Gilliam's hard-sell fantasy in which Johnny Depp (among others) replaced the late Heath Ledger during shooting. A Depp fan blog scanned a couple of compare-and-contrast shots of the actors in costume; it's eerie stuff. Johnny-as-Joker buzz is surely on the way. Can't. Wait. [via NYP]

· Sensing a bit of coolness from the Europeans at the opening-day press conference, Disney/Pixar creative chief John Lasseter backtracked on a solemn 3-D pledge by playing his 2-D ace in the hole. Only in France would The Princess and the Frog soothe those worried about technology overtaking story.

· The Bob Berney renaissance you read about here a few weeks ago is as official as it's going to get. The indie distribution genius might not have a name for his new endeavor, but he does have his first film for U.S. release: Jane Campion's competition entry Bright Star.

· A number of other buyers, critics and industry insiders, meanwhile, faced a much more existential quandary at indieWIRE: "Does Cannes Matter?"

· Funny -- the trade publications seem to be asking themselves the same thing. A HuffPo report cites a downturn in both correspondents and festival-related ad buys at this year's event. The raffish blog contingent already on hand no doubt had a laugh about this over dinner on Tuesday night.