Lido must have felt quite empty on Monday, as some of the world’s biggest stars congregated at the historic Venetian Arsenale for a dazzling unveiling of Aston Martin ’s Vanquish.

“Wolfs” star George Clooney with wife Amal, “Queer” star Daniel Craig, “Horizon 2” director and star Kevin Costner , Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Douglas and Joel Edgerton all arrived for an intimate, exceptionally glamorous gathering.

Acclaimed costume designer Sandy Powell and model and actor Poppy Delevingne were also spotted, as well as Dominic Cooper. Raffey Cassidy still couldn’t shake off the rapturous reception of “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet’s main competition entry which scored a whooping 12-minute-long standing ovation. Its lead Adrien Brody was also in attendance.

Illuminated by the lights and surrounded by the serene laguna, the new V12 flagship model was unveiled by Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

“This is what the next generation of Aston Martin looks like,” said executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, quickly taking a playful jab at the competition. “Why are we here in Venice? We want to outperform the locals. There is this red team, I forget their name.”

“Four years ago, I had a vision to establish the world’s most coveted, ultra-luxurious, high-performance brand. On top of that, to construct a Formula One team to achieve victory at the pinnacle of modern sports. It has had its challenges and we are still relatively new compared to our rivals, but we will surpass them in the next few years,” he promised his guests, who quickly lined up to touch and examine his latest creation up close.

Stroll also expressed his gratitude to the Italian Navy, including admiral Enrico Credendino, and emphasized the significance of the chosen location as a place that’s always at “the intersection of history, art and culture.”

And cinema, always cinema. Discussing with Variety, Aston Martin’s Renato Bisignani highlighted Aston Martin’s long-standing relationship with the film industry. And a certain 007 agent.

“This is likely the longest-lasting partnership in the film industry. Bond is synonymous with Aston and Aston is synonymous with Bond,” he said.

Craig, who will be attending the red carpet premiere of Luca Guadagnino's highly anticipated drama “Queer” today, posed for a picture next to the car. His reign as everyone's favorite secret agent might be over after 2021’s “No Time to Die,” but a new Aston is already waiting for the next Bond.

“Every couple of weeks we hear a new name – there’s so much speculation [about the next 007]. We are updating our product and we are expecting to see a new face,” Bisignani chuckled, while referring to Vanquish as a “work of art.”

“For us, it’s a masterpiece.”

Following the formal part of the event, celebrities continued to socialize and enjoy the warm evening, leisurely sipping Bellinis away from the public gaze of their fans and Italian paparazzi.

“Before I perform, I interact with people, I spend time outside and that becomes the show. Whoever I engage with that day, is the performance,” Grammy-nominated musician Masego assured Variety before taking the stage. If that’s the case, it must have been his most star-studded to date.