By Jean-Michel Comte
The Associated Press

PARIS - The Ladykillers, the Coen brothers' remake of a 1955 comedy caper, will be among the 18 films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival next month.

For the first time, a Thai film will be shown in competition, Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Tropical Malady. And in another first, two animated films will be in the running: Shrek 2 by American director Andrew Adamson and Innocence by Oshii Mamoru of Japan.

Organizers also announced Wednesday that three French films had made it into competition: Clean by Olivier Assayas; Comme une Image by Agnes Jaoui; and Exils by Tony Gatlif.

Among other films to vie for the coveted top honor, the Palme d'Or: The Motorcycle Diaries by Brazilian Walter Salles; Life is a Miracle by Bosnian filmmaker Emir Kusturica; 2046 from Hong Kong's Wong Kar-Wai; La Nina Santa by Argentinian Lucretia Martel; La Femme est l'Avenir de l'Homme by South Korean director Hong Sang Soo; and Fahrenheit 9/11 by documentarian Michael Moore.

Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill - Vol. 2 will be among films shown outside of competition, and Tarantino will chair the jury at this year's festival, which runs May 12-23.

Other jury members: French actress Emmanuelle Beart, Belgian performer Benoit Poelvoorde, American director Jerry Schatzberg, U.S. star Kathleen Turner and Scottish actress Tilda Swinton.