Wes Anderson’s Star-Studded Film Finally Has a Release Date, and It’s Sooner Than We Thought

The one and only Wes Anderson is back after a short break from feature filmmaking. After releasing Asteroid City in the summer of 2023, Anderson has been hard at work developing his portfolio. Anderson is truly a modern auteur, known for his rich, unique style that is injected into every shot of his films. According to Variety, Focus Features is distributing Anderson’s next film, titled The Phoenician Scheme, set to be released on May 30, followed by an expanded release on June 6.

The script, written by Anderson and based on a story co-written by Roman Coppola, sounds like other hits by the distinctive filmmaker. IMDb describes it as a “dark tale of espionage following a strained father-daughter relationship within a family business. Twists revolve around betrayal and morally gray choices.” But like always, little else is known about the auteur’s upcoming espionage comedy drama. Filmed in Germany, the movie was produced by Anderson’s American Empirical Pictures banner with longtime collaborators Steven Rales of Indian Paintbrush, Jeremy Dawson, and John Peet.

Known for his preference for specific actors, Anderson stacked his next film with familiar actors to round out his signature ensemble cast. Benicio del Toro, who was featured in Anderson’s The French Dispatch, stars as Zsa-zsa Korda, one of the wealthiest men in Europe, and Mia Threapleton plays his daughter with Michael Cera playing her tutor. The cast also includes a staggering list of stars such as Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Anderson has quite some pull in the casting ring.

Wes Anderson’s List of Accomplishments Continues to Grow Close

Wes Anderson is one of those filmmakers who truly has fun with his work, almost seeing the film through a childlike lens. The American writer-director has created gems like Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He even discovered Luke and Own Wilson, having the brothers star in his first film, Bottle Rocket. While many fans start with perhaps his most well-known film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson’s work is so inviting that you don’t need to have seen his other films to get his style.

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Focus Features continues its legacy of distributing the unique filmmaker’s hits, having released Asteroid City and Moonrise Kingdom in the past, with the latter earning $68.3 million and having been nominated for an Oscar for its screenplay. Although Anderson’s colorful and distinct style is often overlooked at major award shows, his humanistic stories are impressively fantastical in their own right.

While the auteur has been awarded prestigious accolades for past films and nominated nearly countless times, most of his films have not won the coveted awards. However, he has not been completely unappreciated lately. Last year, the director won the Oscar for best live-action short film for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Although the cheery filmmaker doesn’t seem to need awards to boost his already legendary film career, here’s hoping that Anderson will get the recognition he deserves for his upcoming film.

The Phoenician Scheme Action Comedy Crime Drama Thriller Release Date May 30, 2025 Director Wes Anderson Writers Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola Cast See All Tom Hanks Leland Scarlett Johansson Cousin Benedict Cumberbatch Uncle Nubar Rupert Friend Excaliber

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