Starring Benicio del Toro and Michael Cera, the director’s latest is set to hit cinema screens this May
Attention kooky film lovers-slash-Belle and Sebastian stans! Wes Anderson has a new movie, titled The Phoenician Scheme, set to release this May. As the follow-up to Asteroid City (2023) and The French Dispatch (2021) the director’s latest quirked-up feature film has big boots to fill, both critically and commercially. As usual, of course, he’s got an all-star line-up on board to help him out.
Read everything we currently know about the cast and crew, setting, plot, and release date of The Phoenician Scheme below.
IT’S A DARKER TALE OF WEALTH AND ESPIONAGE
All the way back in June 2023, Anderson teased (in Le Monde) that The Phoenician Scheme would be a story about espionage “with a rather dark tone”, surrounding a father-daughter relationship.
As of a recent announcement in Variety, we have a little bit more to go on. Apparently, Benicio del Toro stars as Zsa-zsa Korda, one of the richest men in Europe, accompanied by his daughter Sister Liesel (Mia Threapleton) and her tutor Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera). Elsewhere, Anderson’s described it as a “globe-trotting” three-hander adventure.
BENICIO DEL TORO WILL BE IN EVERY SINGLE SHOT
The Oscar-winning actor previously played a volatile painter in The French Dispatch, but this time he’ll take on an even more central role, reportedly appearing in every shot. Don’t worry, though – there’s plenty of room for Anderson’s usual star-studded cast as well.
Alongside Cera and Threapleton (best known for starring alongside her mum, Kate Winslet, in I Am Ruth), the film is confirmed to star Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis and Mathieu Amalric. Previously reported names also include Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe.
ANDERSON’S USUAL COLLABORATORS ARE ALSO ON BOARD
On top of his directing duties, Anderson wrote the script alongside longtime collaborator Roman Coppola. Composer Alexandre Desplat also returns for the soundtrack, having previously worked on a number of Anderson films, including Asteroid City, The French Dispatch, Isle of Dogs and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
The film will be distributed by Focus Features, the independent company behind Asteroid City and Moonrise Kingdom.
WHEN WILL THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME BE RELEASED?
The film is currently scheduled for a limited release on May 30, 2025, with a wider release coming on June 6. The first trailer is yet to arrive.