Plenty of movie fans surely have at least one acclaimed film they privately think is a chore. There are probably one or two that have already come and gone on the 2026 movie schedule. Maybe it won awards. Maybe Letterboxd has treated it like a sacred relic. But, once the lights go down, your brain quietly starts packing a suitcase and looking for the exit. Well, fans are calling out the movies they perceive as being boring, and one director keeps coming up.

Over on the Letterboxd subreddit, users asked which movie best captures the feeling of forcing yourself through “one of the most gut-wrenchingly boring movies ever. The thread drew thousands of reactions and covered everything from slow-burning sci-fi to experimental horror movies to movies that don't fit nicely in any genre, but one name kept coming up again and again: Wes Anderson. One of the most-upvoted responses summed up the Anderson divide pretty neatly. A fan with the username u/ReeNixon commented:

Ouch. That is a brutal little dagger, but also a pretty clear explanation of why the filmmaker is so polarizing. Wes Anderson’s best movies are gorgeous to look at. The frames are symmetrical, the colors are carefully arranged, and the costumes feel like museum dioramas with trust funds. For some viewers, though, that visual precision can feel more rewarding as an image than as a full movie.

Wes Anderson Became The Thread’s Favorite Target

Wes Anderson quickly became one of the threads favorite punching bags. Here are some of the standout responses:

• cmatthews11: “This makes me want to jump in and defend him, but honestly, I get it. When it comes to the French Dispatch I absolutely agree though.”
• were_only_human: “As a huge Wes Anderson fan, I 100% understand when people aren't.”
• were_only_human: “I loved French Dispatch and Isle of Dogs, and I did NOT enjoy Asteroid City.”
• Pulsewavemodulator: “This wasn’t the case for his early films.”
• duaneap: “Moonrise Kingdom and Grand Budapest Hotel are an absolute hoot.”
• Amator: “In his later work, I feel like the humanity is lacking and it becomes more of a showcase of spectacle and contrived situations.”
• HOWDEHPARDNER: “Royal Tenenbaums is my favourite of his too. Such weighty themes and characters. His recent work is way too farcical in comparison.”
• tomb-crawler: “Owen Wilson co-wrote his first three movies IIRC. It balanced them out a bit IMO.”

The thread did not turn into a pure Anderson pile-on. A lot of fans jumped in to defend him, or at least to draw lines between different eras of his work. One commenter, u/Hot_Phone_7274, said:

Another argued that the director’s recent films feel like someone “doing” Anderson, rather than Anderson himself. u/huey_booey added:

That seemed to be the most common criticism. People were not necessarily saying Anderson has no talent, but rather that his style can become so dominant that the movie starts to feel sealed in glass. For fans, that artificiality is the whole point. For everyone else, it can feel like watching an exquisitely designed dollhouse.

There were plenty of more specific debates, too. The French Dispatch came up as one that even some Anderson defenders understood losing patience with, while Asteroid City was mentioned as a recent example that did not work for everyone. u/LueSputhole94 wrote:

On the other hand, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel all had defenders arguing that Anderson’s earlier or middle-period movies had more emotional weight.

Other Acclaimed Movies Also Took Some Hits

Anderson was not alone in the boredom confessional booth. Several other sacred-cow titles came up, including Solaris, Stalker, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Tree of Life, The Irishman, Synecdoche, New York, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and the test-your-patience experimental horror flick Skinamarink. The Skinamarink responses were especially interesting because several commenters seemed to agree it was boring while also admitting it stuck with them more afterward than a lot of new horror movies.

That is probably the cleanest defense of a divisive slow movie: maybe it does not entertain you in the moment, but it keeps crawling around your skull later. The 2001 discussion followed a similar pattern. Some viewers called it visually stunning but difficult to sit through because of its slow pacing and limited traditional character work. That is basically the eternal fight, not just around 2001, but also around most of Stanley Kubrick’s best films.

Anderson’s repeated presence on the "boring list" says something about his place in modern film culture. His work is instantly recognizable, deeply beloved and, yes, extremely easy to parody. That combination makes him a perfect target whenever people start talking about acclaimed movies they just cannot connect with.

When Macaulay Culkin was just a kid, he became one of the biggest movie stars in the world thanks to Home Alone. However, in the mid-'90s, the actor walked away from Hollywood and didn’t make a movie for almost a decade. It’s mostly impossible to know everything we missed out on when Culkin left acting, but we now know one gig that might have happened, which could have been spectacular.

Macaulay Culkin recently appeared on the infamous Hot Ones YouTube show and was asked about the scripts he was sent and the jobs he declined during the period when he stopped acting. He revealed that he had been sent the script for Wes Anderson’s sophomore effort, Rushmore, but he never actually read it. Culkin said…

To be clear, the fact that Macaulay Culkin, who will be seen later this year in Fallout Season 2, was sent a copy of the Rushmore script doesn’t mean he had a greater chance than anybody else of getting the role. It doesn’t mean with certainty there was any particular interest in him. Still, it’s an intriguing idea. As he says, he probably could have done it.

Rushmore would instead become the debut role for Jason Schwartzman. He wowed critics and audiences with his performance and has continued to be one of Wes Anderson’s regular players. Even Macaulay Culkin says he can’t imagine anybody else playing the role, but he still clearly wonders, what if? He said…

While I certainly can’t imagine anybody other than Jason Schwartzman in the role either, it’s not too difficult to imagine that Macaulay Culkin could have been great in the role of a high school student who becomes infatuated with an elementary school teacher, only to have his mentor, played by Bill Murray, begin a relationship with her. It's the sort of offbeat performance that we've often seen Culkin take on since he returned to acting. A lot of fans are very curious about Culkin's upcoming Fallout role, specifically because he tends to play unique characters.

Somewhere there’s an alternative universe where Macaulay Culkin appeared alongside Bill Murray in a Wes Anderson movie, and I don’t know if the film would have been better, but I would love to see how it would have turned out. It’s a hell of an idea if nothing else.

The Phoenician Scheme, Wes Anderson’s latest directorial effort and one of the quirkiest movies to come out on the 2025 movie schedule, has a lot of things in common with the director’s best films. There are strained family relationships, a large cast featuring some of his most prolific collaborators, colorful sets, and violence. However, I didn’t expect the movie starring Benicio del Toro as a ruthless businessman would be that violent.

Though the movie had some shockingly violent moments (especially one scene on an airplane at the very beginning), I have to admit that the ridiculous injuries, brushes with death, numerous plane crashes, and various assassination attempts work quite well here. Here’s why…

The Phoenician Scheme, A Movie About The Attempts To Kill A Brutal Man, Needed Violence

I don’t want to give too much away for those who’ve yet to watch The Phoenician Scheme (it’s streaming with a Peacock subscription), but Wes Anderson’s latest movie centers on Anatole "Zsa-Zsa" Korda, a brutal business magnate played by Benicio del Toro, as he attempts to pull off a massive plan while also avoiding over-the-top assassination plots orchestrated by rival tycoons. It’s essentially an espionage movie, but in Anderson’s signature style and whimsy.

Again, it’s a violent movie with characters being blown apart by cartoonish sticks of dynamite, others getting shot (and having the bullet removed by hand), and all other sorts of mayhem. Though it threw me off a bit, a story like this needed it.

The Movie Still Has That Wes Anderson Charm, Which Creates Quite An Experience

This would be a wild experience if it was just a crime caper about a ruthless business magnate trying to put one final plan into motion before being killed, but what Anderson gives us is something much more than that. On top of the bloodshed and countless grenades being handed out as gifts and thrown around like balls of destruction, the movie also has the filmmaker's signature charm and sensibility, which creates a unique and fascinating cinematic experience.

The whimsical style does take away some of the drama of Korda coming face-to-face with death multiple times throughout the movie, but not enough to omit the sense of danger. In fact, these two elements compliment one another, adding another layer to this utterly ridiculous crime film.

Wes Anderson Is No Stranger To Violence, But This Took Things Up A Notch

There’s been no shortage of violence in the Texas-born filmmaker’s work over the years, with everything from his debut film, Bottle Rocket, to The Grand Budapest Hotel nearly 20 years later having blood, carnage, and lots and lots of guns. These movies, and pretty much everything else the director has released between and since, have all presented violence in a way that is somewhat comical, which takes away the blow or shocking nature to a degree.

However, when it comes to The Phoenician Scheme, things feel a little different. The intensity, the randomness, and the way violence is used to move the plot leads to the movie feeling more raw, unpredictable, and deadly at times. I keep going back to an early scene with a bomb on an airplane that legitimately took me by surprise.

All in all, The Phoenician Scheme was a hilarious, violent, and creative exploration of a complicated man with an even more complicated past. Though some scenes made me squirm, it’s an experience that works because of that violence.

My personal tolerance for insects, arachnids and other kinds of bugs is so minimal that I don’t even like thinking about them, lest I conjure phantom sensations of them crawling on my arms and legs. Clearly I am not cut out to be an actor who would potentially have to perform a scene in a film with any number creepy crawlies – but I suppose that means I have a special admiration for Michael Cera, who found a fascinating way to think about the creatures while handling them in the making of The Phoenician Scheme.

In the new Wes Anderson movie, Cera plays Bjørn Lund, a tutor and administrative assistant to Benicio del Toro’s Zsa-Zsa Korda with a background in entomology, and an expression of the character’s specialty in the film is that he is frequently featured handling various insects and spiders. I asked him about the experience late last month during the virtual press day for The Phoenician Scheme (paired with del Toro and Mia Threapleton), and he noted that he did have a bit of fear at the start, but he became for comfortable when he changed his mind set about them:

If I step outside of my phobia temporarily, I suppose I can recognize the vulnerability of the insects. They can be fast and venomous, but they are also tiny and fragile. We have the expression “squashed like a bug” for a reason. On film sets, they have special handlers who are employed to ensure their care, so Michael Cera’s feeling of responsibility toward them while they are in his hands makes sense as well.

It certainly also helped the actor that his scenes in The Phoenician Scheme don’t feature him getting swarmed or covered; he handles the different bugs in the manor of a scientist/tutor. There’s a sequence where he handles a tarantula (the ultimate “no way” for me), but Cera intimated that he was calm because it was calm:

Mia Threapleton went as far as to call the tarantula “quite sweet” and remembered that it had a name – but couldn’t recall exactly what it was.

If you haven’t yet seen Michael Cera’s bug handling for yourself, The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in theaters everywhere – the film featuring an outstanding cast that includes not just Cera, Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton, but also Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, and more.

Following yesterday’s tragic loss of the great Gene Hackman, many who knew him (and even more who simply respected his work) have spoken out about the accomplished star. Now Bill Murray, who appeared with Hackman in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums has lovingly remembered one of the actor’s final performances, which apparently was quite rough on the older star.

The Royal Tenenbaums was one of Gene Hackman’s final roles, but it was also one of Wes Anderson’s early films, the follow-up to his breakout hit Rushmore. Bill Murray, who appeared in both movies and knows Wes Anderson well, told the AP that Hackman wasn’t entirely sold on the young Anderson as a director. This lead to Murray having to run defense to protect his friend. Murray said…

But it seems that Anderson may not have been the only source of frustration for Gene Hackman. Murray says one scene in the movie required over two dozen takes. While Hackman, the consummate professional, did a perfect job every time, the other actor he was playing against kept screwing up. Murray continued…

Murray doesn’t reveal the actor, and it sounds like the setup for the sequence may have been a bit complex, not surprising considering Wes Anderson is known for a unique and precise style. It’s possible that the actor who kept making mistakes was less at fault if the shot was quite difficult. But it does show just how good Hackman was if he was able to nail the performance every time in what was otherwise a tough situation.

It seems that eventually, Hackman may have just gotten tired after doing the scene so many times. According to Murray, Hackman at one point gave a performance that was, while likely just fine, something less than he had been doing. On this take the other actor finally got it right, which angered the star even more…

It sounds like, in the end, Gene Hackman was happy with the final product. If nothing else, Hackman himself received great praise for his performance, which won him a Golden Globe among other accolades.

The circumstances surrounding Hackman's death are currently viewed as "suspicious" according to authorities. CinemaBlend will continue to follow the story.

The directors on this list are among the greatest in the history of cinema, with films that are considered the best of all time; films that will never be forgotten. What about those movies they brought all their tremendous talents to, but which aren’t remembered as well? Here is our list of great movies, by great directors, that don’t get talked about enough these days. 

The Frighteners - Peter Jackson

The Frighteners is such a great movie, and it’s criminally underrated. No, it's not as sprawling or overwhelming as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, but it has all the heart and more. Michael J. Fox leads as a con man/exorcist who can see and interact with ghosts. The Frightners is really funny, well-paced, and delightful. 

The King Of Comedy - Martin Scorsese 

When you think of Martin Scorsese, “comedy” is not usually the first word that pops into your head, but The King Of Comedy is really a pretty great movie, and while it’s technically a comedy, it’s really dark. Goodfellas has some comedy in it, like Joe Pesci acting like a clown… but a true (dark) comedy? This Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis-led film stands alone in Scorsese’s canon. 

Peggy Sue Got Married - Francis Ford Coppola

Peggy Sue Got Married is a deceptively simple film. Unlike Francis Ford Coppola’s more-talked-about epics like The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, this film, starring Nicolas Cage and Kathleen Turner, is smaller, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser. It’s a weird time-travel tale, but at its heart, it’s really a love story, and while it's not Coppola’s best work, it’s well worth a watch and should be talked about more often. 

Jackie Brown - Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Taratino has famously said that his next movie, his 10th, could be his last. Whether that holds true or not remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet Jackie Brown will still be his least talked about.

Strange Days - Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow’s won Oscars (for The Hurt Locker) and she’s directed cult classics (Point Break). Strange Days is certainly closer to the latter. In it, Bigelow dabbles in science fiction, a rarity for her, but it’s unsurprising, as Strange Days was written by her then-husband James Cameron. It doesn’t have the iconic quotes that Point Break has, nor is it as white-knuckle as The Hurt Locker, but it is a great time capsule to filmmaking in the mid-90s and well worth remembering. 

Amistad - Steven Spielberg

Wedged between The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan in Steven Spielberg’s filmography, is Amistad. It’s easy to understand why this powerful historical drama revolving around a landmark court case regarding the slave trade is overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a moving story, told expertly as only Spielberg can, with a monster cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, and Djimon Hounsou, among many others. 

Clockers - Spike Lee

Let’s be clear here, Clockers is not Spike Lee’s finest work. It doesn’t reach the heights of movies like Do The Right Thing or Malcolm X, but it's still a really good movie. It gets lost in Lee’s stellar filmography, which is understandable. It’s also a testament to just how good Lee’s career has been. 

Talk Radio - Oliver Stone

Talk Radio has everything you expect from an Oliver Stone movie. Its pacing and storytelling are perfect, it’s a fascinating and terrifying story that pulls from the real-world events of a murdered radio show host. It also has a healthy dose of conspiracy, as any great Stone film does. 

The Bling Ring - Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring is a meta-tastic heist film that is not only a ton of fun to watch with celebrity cameos and great acting performances, but it also touches on some of the emerging trends that exploded in the years after the movie came out, notably influencer culture. It’s too often overlooked in Coppola’s stellar filmography. 

The Game - David Fincher

David Fincher is a master, and his filmography is full of great movies, like Se7en and Fight Club. The movie he made between those two classic is The Game with Sean Penn and Michael Douglas. Understandably, it’s overshadowed, but it’s an amazing film that is every bit as good as those two more talked-about movies. Even when people watch Fincher’s whole body of work, The Game gets overlooked and it shouldn’t. 

Casualties Of War - Brian De Palma

Casualties of War was released in 1989, which was the tail end of a slew of excellent Vietnam War movies released in the late ‘80s, like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Hamburger Hill. Despite earning well-deserved praise from critics, the Brian De Palma film bombed, and as such, it's unfortunately one of the director’s least talked about movies when it should be one of the most. 

Matchstick Men - Ridley Scott

Usually, when movie fans talk about Ridley Scott, it’s his sprawling historical epics like Gladiator or Napoleon that dominate the conversation, along with sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner. Matchstick Men is a smaller movie, a dark comedy about a con man with a myriad of personal problems played by Nicolas Cage. It’s a wonderful performance by Cage, and despite not performing well at the box office, it’s been well-reviewed over the years.

Inherent Vice - Paul Thomas Anderson

Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson is a complicated movie, based on a complicated book by Thomas Pinchon. It’s easy to understand why it’s not as talked about as some of Anderson’s other movies, like There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights, but it’s every bit as good as those, featuring great acting performances and wonderful cinematography. 

Out Of Sight - Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderberg is known for stylish filming techniques with snappy dialog and interesting plot twists. It’s all right there in Out Of Sight, but the movie still gets overlooked. It was Soderbergh’s first big-budget film, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t get talked about enough. It was also his first collaboration with George Clooney, which makes it even more confounding that it’s not more popular. 

Barry Lyndon - Stanley Kubrick

It’s hard to really argue that any of Stanley Kubrick’s films are not talked about enough, but Barry Lyndon comes the closest here. It’s most revered for its cinematography, but it’s also a wonderful story. While it doesn’t have the panache of A Clockwork Orange or the scope of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s still a Kubrick film and it’s one of the best ever made. 

Stardust - Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn has quietly put together one of the finest resumes in Hollywood. The Kingsman movies are a hot franchise, he’s dabbled in Marvel, and may have inspired the choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond after directing him in Layer Cake. Stardust seems to get lost in the shuffle, but it’s maybe, low key, his best film. 

Ryan's Daughter - David Lean

David Lean is rightfully most remembered for three films, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago. Lost in the discussion of those films is Ryan’s Daughter, a retelling of Madame Bovary set at the end of World War I. It was the last film Lean directed for 14 years and we can only wonder what he might have done had he not semi-retired. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson has developed one of the most distinct styles in film history, which translates brilliantly to animation, as well. Anderson’s first foray into the genre was Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray, among others. While it may never outshine his live-action classics, it should be discussed more as one of his best works. 

Bound - The Wachowskis

The DNA of the Wachowskis is very evident in Bound, their first movie. It was made on a shoestring budget, so it doesn’t have the over-the-top effects of The Matrix series, but you can see where they were headed in their filmmaking. 

Intolerable Cruelty - Coen Brothers

When you have a filmography like the Coen Brothers, inevitably, some of the movies won’t get talked about as much as others. Intolerable Cruelty is one of those that gets lost in the mix, behind movies like The Big Lebowski and others that are among the best movies of the ‘90s and beyond. 

Insomnia - Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is among the most beloved directors of the 21st century, creating what feels like independent films, but with monster budgets. That DNA was on display early in his career with Insomnia, which has everything you’d expect from a Nolan movie, but with less than half the budget of Oppenheimer. 

The Fan - Tony Scott

There are few better action directors in Hollywood history than Tony Scott. Most remembered today for classics like Top Gun, and Days of Thunder, The Fan should be talked about more. It’s not a perfect movie, but De Niro’s performance is terrifying (in a great way) as a baseball fan obsessed with Wesley Snipes' character. It’s action horror, and it’s great. 

Vincent And Theo - Robert Altman

Robert Altman had one of the most up-and-down careers in Hollywood history. After a string of successes in the ‘80s, his career was almost sunk by Popeye. It took years for him to rebound, but he did with Vincent & Theo. That led to a career revival, but it’s hardly remembered anymore, overshadowed by his early and later films. 

She's Having A Baby - John Hughes

One of the biggest reasons John Hughes is so loved by people who came of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s was his ability to write and direct genuine teenage characters. That extended to a young married couple starting their lives together in She’s Having A Baby. It’s not as quotable as some of Hughes’ other movies, but it’s still sharply written and a fun watch. 

Only The Lonely - Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus has some directed some huge films in his career, most notably Home Alone and Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone. He's also got movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Adventures in Babysitting on his resume. One film that is not talked about enough is Only The Lonely starring John Candy as a man looking for a wife, but dealing with a controlling mother. 

Beowulf - Robert Zemeckis

Generations of high schoolers have been confounded and frustrated by Beowulf. Some love the old English classic, but many hate it. It takes a bold director to take it on as a movie. Robert Zemeckis makes it work, and work well. Still, given the material, it’s not a surprise it’s not talked about as much as Zemeckis’ more popular movies like Back to the Future. 

Great Expectations - Alfonso Cuaron

Director Alfonso Cuaron has made some of the best movies of the last 20 years, including Roma, Gravity, and Y tu mamá también. One of his films that doesn’t get talked about much anymore is 1998’s Great Expectations starring Gwenyth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. It’s a bold modernization of the classic Dickens novel that can be polarizing, but still worth talking about more.

Ed Wood - Tim Burton

Of all the movies Tim Burton has made, it’s unsurprising that Ed Wood is one of his least discussed. It’s a love letter to legendary B-Movie director Ed Wood, and despite being filled to the brim with great performances, it's not as popular as many of Burton’s other works. 

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil - Clint Eastwood

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is not exactly the kind of film you might expect from Clint Eastwood, but you should. Some of his best work is when he strays away from the tough guy movies he’s so well known for and this is a great one, starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. 

Away We Go - Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes is best known for movies that cover heavy topics, movies like American Beauty, 1917, and Road to Perdition. That's probably the reason 2009's Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph isn't talked about as much, but it's a sweet movie about a couple dealing with major changes in their life and how to handle them. 

Sleepers - Barry Levinson

Sleepers is a dark, dark film. It's also really, really good. With an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, and many more, it's surprising it doesn't get talked about as much as some of director Barry Levinson's other work, but given the subject matter, it can be a very hard watch.  

High Anxiety - Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks is a living legend and his filmography is filled with some of the most quotable movies of all time. One that doesn't get quoted much, or even talked about much, is High Anxiety. It was, believe it or not, the first time Mel Brooks also played the lead in one of his movies, so that alone should garner more attention. 

Great directors usually have long filmographies, so it's only natural that some of their finest work would be talked about less than their most groundbreaking or biggest films. That said, many movies should be talked about as much as those classics, but aren't. Here's to that changing now! 

Everything is bigger in Texas, they say, and that certainly includes the star power of its homegrown celebrities. From the biggest stars in music to the biggest on the silver screen, the biggest celebs in the squared circle, and almost everywhere else, Texas has bred them all. 

California may be home to Hollywood, but there might not be a Hollywood without its biggest legends who hail from the Lone Star State, so here is our list of some of the biggest stars from Texas

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, raised mostly in Longview, TX, went to college in Austin, and got his first big break in show business in Dazed & Confused, which was, of course, filmed in Texas. McConaughey still lives in Austin. It makes sense that the proud Texan wants to see more movies made in his home state. McConaughey has also sparked rumors in the past that he might be interested in running for political office in Texas, though he's usually brushed them aside. Politician or not, the man sure loves his home state. 

Renée Zellweger

She may have won accolades for playing an English woman, but Renée Zellweger is Texas through and through. The Bridget Jones' Diary star was born outside Houston in Katy, TX, and grew up there before attending the University of Texas. It was in Austin that she discovered her love for acting and she landed her first on-screen role as an extra in Dazed & Confused. 

Owen Wilson

Dallas-born Owen Wilson has played a lot of fantastic roles over the years, but none better than his many roles in the films of Wes Anderson. Wilson and fellow Texan Anderson have been friends since their college days at the University of Texas. It's also worth noting that both of Owen Wilson's brothers, Luke and Andrew, also hail from Texas, of course. 

Jim Parsons

While some people ooze "Texas," Houston native Jim Parsons doesn't, really. You might guess he'd be from New York or Chicago, but nope, he's a Texan. Born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, he also attended the University of Houston before striking out for Hollywood and making it big. 

Carol Burnett

Comedy legend Carol Burnett grew up in California, attending high school right in Hollywood, but the Annie star was born deep in the heart of Texas, in San Antonio in 1933. Though her vast career has taken her far from Texas, the state can still call her one of its own. 

Beyoncé

If the stars are brighter and everything is bigger in Texas, then it only makes sense that one of the biggest stars would come from Houston. There is no bigger star on the planet than Beyoncé, who was born and raised in Texas along with her sister Solange and her Destiny's Child bandmate, LaTavia Roberson. 

Selena Gomez

Like many other native Texas, Selena Gomez is proud of her Mexican heritage. The Only Murders In The Building star was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, and although her many acting roles and career took her to California early in life, her family's roots are firmly in the Lone Star State. Gomez is named for another Texas native as well, the late Tejano superstar Selena, who was murdered in Corpus Christi in 1995. 

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson first got famous playing a farm boy-turned-bartender from Indiana on Cheers, and while he moved to Ohio as a teenager, Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. He's also tight with his occasional co-star and fellow Texan, Matthew McConaughey, and, according to McConaughey, the two could even be brothers! 

Tommy Lee Jones

Sure, he was roommates at Harvard with Al Gore, but Tommy Lee Jones is all Texan. The No Country For Old Men star was born in the small town of San Saba, Texas, and raised in Midland. He's never really strayed far either, as he has resided in Terrell Hills, TX, near San Antonio, for years. He's also a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Film Hall of Fame. There really isn't another actor who screams "Texas" like Jones, is there?

Steve Martin

Waco-born Steve Martin is one of the funniest people in film history. While he grew up mostly in Southern California, his roots are originally in central Texas, where he was born in Waco, on August 14th, 1945, the same day that the Japanese surrendered in World War II. 

Jamie Foxx

The multi-talented Jamie Foxx started acquiring his many skills as a kid in Terrell, TX, outside Dallas, where he was born and raised. As a kid, he played piano and excelled at sports at Terrell High School. He moved to Southern California after school and in 1991, scored a role on In Living Color, and the rest is history. 

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner moved to West Virginia when she was just three, so she probably doesn't remember much of anything from her early life in Texas, but the Daredevil star was born in Houston. 

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson exploded into show business by winning the first-ever season of American Idol and she's been a star ever since. It's a journey that started when she was born in Forth Worth, TX, and raised in the suburb of Burleson, just outside the city. While her career may have taken her to LA and New York, her heart (and sports allegiance) has stayed in Texas.

Wes Anderson

People love to debate what the best Wes Anderson movie is, but if you are wondering what is his most personal, it's probably Bottle Rocket, which was filmed almost entirely in Anderson's home state of Texas. It stars a couple of fellow Texans as well, Owen and Luke Wilson. While the Wilsons are from Dallas originally, Anderson hails from Houston. 

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion is a triple threat. She proved herself on the mic, and on the dance floor, first, then she started taking over TV and movies by starring in her first film in 2023. Before all that happened, though, she grew up in and around Houston. The “H-town Hottie” even got her nickname, Stallion, in the city. 

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez has been in some huge film franchises, like Fast & Furious and Avatar. She kind of grew up all over, including in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but she was born and lived for a few years of her life in San Antonio, TX. 

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke's parents were high school sweethearts who had Ethan shortly after they were married. Born in 1970 in Austin, TX, Hawke moved to the Northeast with his mother but spent his summers in Fort Worth with his dad. His grandfather even served in the Texas House of Representatives for 10 years. He has deep Texas roots that he is proud of. 

Hilary Duff

Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff is another Texas girl. Born in Houston, her family also spent time in San Antonio before moving to California when Duff was still young to pursue her acting career. Boy did that pay off quickly! 

Jennifer Love Hewitt

From a young age, Jennifer Love Hewitt was showing off her talents, singing and dancing across Texas, where she was born in 1979. Eventually, even the Lone Star State could not contain her and she moved to LA with her family, where she soon landed her first starring role on the legendary Party Of Five, after having roles on the Disney Channel and elsewhere as a kid. 

Eva Longoria

Born in Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, Eva Longoria has always been proud of her Tejano roots. In fact, her ancestry and culture are so important to her that she returned to college to earn a Master's degree in Chicano studies from Cal State-Northridge.

Forest Whitaker

Though he went to high school in Los Angeles, Forest Whitaker's life began in Longview, Texas. Every summer of his youth, he spent time with his grandparents in Longview and still has family all over Texas. 

Taylor Sheridan

It's no surprise that Taylor Sheridan is from Texas. While he was actually born in North Carolina, the Yellowstone creator is the definition of a true Texan. Not only did he grow up in Fort Worth, but he owns a working ranch in the Lone Star state called 6666 Ranch. He and his family live in Weatherford, Texas.

Farrah Fawcett

She might have had the reputation of being the all-American blonde from California, but Farrah Fawcett was born and raised in Texas. After high school in Corpus Christi, she attended the University of Texas before heading to Hollywood where she immediately started landing acting and modeling jobs. Once she scored her role on Charlie's Angels, the rest is history. 

Isaiah Washington

Controversial actor Isaiah Washington's most prominent role was in the first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Since then, he's worked on numerous films and TV shows, before announcing his retirement in 2023. He was born and raised in Houston. 

William Jackson Harper

Star of The Good Place William Jackson Harper is a native Texan, born in Dallas and raised in Garland, TX, where he first started acting in high school. His Texas-sized determination kept him going when he struggled early in his career, before finding a starring role on the Kristen Bell-led sitcom. 

Dakota Johnson

It might be surprising to learn that despite being the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Dakota Johnson was born in Texas. She was born to Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson in Austin while her father shot a movie in the Lone Star State. The star was then raised in Los Angeles, of course, but Austin will always be where she came into this world. Since then, she's built a great career. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Steven James Anderson loves his home state so much, that he took a name based on its capital, Austin. Better known as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the WWE superstar was, in fact, born in Austin, though he was raised mostly in Edna, TX. The wrestler still owns property in the state, Broken Skull Ranch, near Tilden, TX. It's not like he hides his love for the state either, as one of his many nicknames is "The Texas Rattlesnake."

Gary Busey

People sometimes forget that Gary Busey was once nominated for an Oscar for playing Texan Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, and the actor also hails from Holly's home state. Busey was born in the Houston area; Baytown, Texas, to be exact. He moved to Oklahoma in elementary school and it was in Tulsa that the enigmatic actor began his show biz career. One of his first big breaks in Hollywood was a TV show that was set in Texas called, appropriately, The Texas Wheelers.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano was controversially dismissed from The Mandalorian and whether you agree with the decision or not, it's hard to argue that the MMA star brought a little bit of that strong individualism Texas is known for to the role and her career. Something that might be inherent in her, as she was born in Dallas County Texas.

Shaquille O'Neal

Texas is a huge state, with a lot of personality, so it only makes sense that a celebrity who's physically large and has a personality to match would hail from the state. Shaquille O’Neal is an Army brat, so he moved around a lot as a kid, including being born in New Jersey. It's in Texas, however, where the world started to pay attention to O'Neal as he became a standout basketball star, eventually becoming a top college recruit and going to LSU for school. He was drafted into the NBA as the #1 overall pick in 1992, and the rest is history.  

Robin Wright

Robin Wright might be best known for playing a Washington insider on House Of Cards and a Buttercup in The Princess Bride, but before all that, she was born in Dallas in 1966. Her parents divorced when she was young and her family moved to Southern California, but for those two years, she was a Texan. 

Michael Strahan

He first made a name for himself playing football in New York, and now he's known for hosting Good Morning America in New York, but Michael Strahan is a born and bred Texan. He was born in Houston, and went to high school there, though for a little while he lived with his family in Germany where his father was stationed in the Army. 

There you have it, a list that proves everything is, indeed, bigger in Texas. The toast, the steer, the plains, and the stars. Not just the stars in the sky, but the stars in Hollywood and beyond. Few states can compete with the Lone Star state when it comes to star power. 

Netflix releases hundreds of original movies each year, in every genre imaginable. It’s not quantity over quality, either, as there are some excellent options available, with A-list casts and A+ storytelling. Some of the streamer’s films have even seen some love from the Academy come awards season. This year was no different, but it can definitely be overwhelming trying to figure out which direction you want your movie night to go. We’re here to help with a ranking of the 15 best 2023 Netflix movies.

This year’s crop includes family-friendly fare, action, documentaries, romantic comedies and plenty of drama from actors including Bradley Cooper, Adam Sandler, Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth and more. Don’t spend your night scrolling through all the options your Netflix subscription has to offer. Add these to your queue, throw the popcorn in the microwave and hit Play. 

15. Love At First Sight

Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy star in Love at First Sight, a film adaptation of the beloved Jennifer E. Smith book. This adorably quirky love story sees Hadley and Oliver start to form a connection on a flight from New York to London — a flight Hadley wouldn’t have even been on had she arrived at the airport four minutes earlier. What’s more unlikely than their meeting is that they’ll ever see each other again. But fate has a way of intervening, it seems, and this rom-com left us hoping that Netflix will do more romances like this one in the future.  

14. Extraction 2

Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in this sequel that is somehow even more thrilling than the 2020 original. Extraction 2 sees the black ops mercenary working hard to return to form (after nearly dying in the first movie) in order to take on a new assignment with personal and deadly stakes. This film is a shot of pure adrenaline and is easily one of the best action movies of 2023. I had to forcibly unclench my jaw several times during the “instantly iconic” 21-minute prison break scene. 

13. Fair Play

Fair Play is not a fun watch, with its gritty exploration of how corporate greed, personal ambition and gender politics expose the ugliest side of its protagonists’ relationship. Colleagues Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are engaged in a secret romance, but their personal and professional dynamics shift after Emily gets a promotion they thought was going to Luke. Dynevor and Ehrenreich give utterly gripping performances in the erotic thriller that refuses to blink, especially when the tension rises to the most uncomfortable levels. 

12. Pamela, A Love Story

Pamela: A Love Story opens with its subject popping a home video of her and ex-husband Tommy Lee into a VHS player — it’s just not the one at the center of every other story about the Baywatch bombshell. In this stunning documentary, Pamela Anderson tells her own story, getting real about her upbringing, career, marriages, children, the infamous sex tape and how much the Pam & Tommy series hurt her. But that doesn’t mean she’s willing to relive her pain, as she refuses to read the diaries she gives to the filmmakers. Her scars have been ripped open again and again, and this documentary shows a woman who chooses every day not to be a victim. 

11. The Killer

Audiences who fired up their Netflix accounts to see David Fincher’s action thriller The Killer were perplexed when Michael Fassbender’s unnamed assassin spent the first chunk of the film reciting an inner monologue of the platitudes he abides by on the job. We should know not to doubt the filmmaker though, as the killer’s agenda takes a turn after a job goes wrong. The style of The Killer is unmistakably Fincher, who pairs up again with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for a brilliant score. Prepare for a slow burn to start, but you won’t be disappointed in this one. 

10. Leave The World Behind

In Leave the World Behind, Sam Esmail takes an A-list cast of Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Kevin Bacon and drops them in the middle of the end of the world. But how do you know it’s the end of the world with no access to media or information? The uncertainty, distrust and altogether bizarre circumstances that befall the Sandford and Scott families make this one of the best horror movies of 2023 — and not just because the apocalypse might mean losing our access to on-demand Friends reruns. 

9. You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah

Adam Sandler has been trying new things in his career for a while, and this year he’s on a Netflix roll, with two of his projects geared toward younger audiences earning spots on this list. The first, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, stars the whole Sandler clan in one of the best coming-of-age movies in a long time. Parents will find plenty of humor and heart in this YA novel adaptation that celebrates the power of friendship. 

8. Leo

Leo targets an even younger audience, as Adam Sandler and Bill Burr voice two longtime class pets. The titular talking iguana wins over the elementary school students, as he imparts the wisdom he’s gleaned from watching decades of fifth-graders come and go. There’s some serious subject matter in play here, with conversations about mortality, but some really good lessons too. Sandler’s comedy also lends itself well to fifth-grade sensibilities, making for some A+ jokes and musical numbers.

7. Wes Anderson's Roald Dahl Collection

Following Wes Anderson’s 2009 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, the famed director has returned with four short films — The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Ratcatcher, Poison and The Swan. The first of these — also the longest at around 40 minutes — premiered to much acclaim at Venice Film Festival, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character. Regular Anderson collaborator Ralph Fiennes appears in all four shorts.

The style of the four offerings is unmistakably Wes Anderson, with scenery and set pieces being changed out as the characters break the fourth wall to narrate Roald Dahl’s stories. The dialogue is quick, the settings colorful, and each short is a creative endeavor worth checking out.

6. Rustin

Colman Domingo is one actor who might be looking at an Academy Award nomination this season for his role as the titular character in Rustin. This biographical drama tells the story of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin — and particularly his role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. The movie provides new context to an important moment in our country’s history, making it one of our writers’ favorite movies about the civil rights movement. It gives long-overdue recognition to a man who was often overlooked because of his sexuality. 

5. The Deepest Breath

The Deepest Breath takes viewers inside the world of freediving, where divers hold their breath for several minutes while plunging to terrifying depths. Specifically the story centers around Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and her attempts to break a world record with the help of coach-turned-lover Stephen Keenan. This documentary often feels more like a thriller — with hints of a love story — and in the same vein as 2018’s Free Solo, you’ll find that you’re having to remind yourself to keep breathing. 

4. They Cloned Tyrone

They Cloned Tyrone was a big surprise this year in how it crossed over into so many genres and managed to master them all. This sci-fi flick from Juel Taylor in his directorial debut is an amazing callback to 1970s Blaxploitation, a sharp commentary on race and also one of the funniest movies of the year. John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx star as our unlikely heroes, who uncover a government cloning conspiracy. Great performances and smart writing combine for a movie that only gets better on the rewatch. 

3. Maestro

Bradley Cooper dons multiple hats for Maestro as director, writer and star. The biopic focuses on American composer Leonard Bernstein and his complicated relationship with wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). An ambitious look at the man behind the music, Maestro sees career-best performances from Cooper and Mulligan, and it’s all but guaranteed to be all over the Oscar ballots. 

2. Nimona

One of the most moving films of the year, Nimona tells the daring story of Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight who teams up with the titular shapeshifter (Chloë Grace Moretz) after being accused of murdering his queen. The graphic novel adaptation is all the stronger for not shying away from weightier topics, and combined with its gorgeous animation and emotionally impactful story, Nimona will strike a chord with viewers of all ages. 

1. May December

In a movie starring Academy Award winners Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, you might be surprised to hear that it’s Riverdale actor Charles Melton’s performance in May December that’s garnering the most Oscar buzz. Melton plays Joe, who was in seventh grade when he became involved with Moore’s Gracie a couple of decades earlier. Portman plays the actress Elizabeth, who visits the couple for research before portraying Gracie in a movie about the scandal. May December is darkly funny and often uncomfortable. Bordering on campy, this compelling character study will stick with you long after the credits roll, making it our choice for the best Netflix movie of the year. 

If these Netflix originals weren’t on your radar this year, hopefully we’ve given you some inspiration for your next at-home movie night. It’s never too early to get a start on next year, either, so take a look at the 2024 Netflix movie schedule to see what films might make this list next year! 

Gwyneth Paltrow is happily retired from acting in favor of running her business Goop, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about her time filming movies. She’s had the pleasure of working with many different filmmakers during her 33-year-old acting career. When Paltrow spoke about the advice she was given by directors Wes Anderson and Jon Favreau, you’ll see that the differences between the two are quite cute.

When you work with many different directors, you tend to notice that each one has their own idea of what they want in your acting. Gwyneth Paltrow answered Vogue’s 73 questions, with one of them being how each director directs her. This was her incredibly cute answer.

This proves that all filmmakers are made differently, but it's adorable how Paltrow described each director. She worked with Jon Favreau in Marvel movies when he directed her in the first two Iron Man movies, as well as acted alongside him in Iron Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming (even if she forgot she had a scene in the movie) and Avengers: Endgame. When Paltrow spoke about her reasons for leaving the MCU, she mentioned that she signed onto the Iron Man movies because she was good friends with Favreau. Based on the humor he brought out in his acting roles and the wholesome family movies he directed like Elf, Zathura, and The Jungle Book, this director seems to have a heart of gold.

And then there’s the whimsical Wes Anderson, whose movies known for his unique style. Gwyneth Paltrow worked with the Oscar-nominated director in The Royal Tenenbaums, playing the adopted Tenenbaum sibling Margot. In fact, this is the only one of her movies that Paltrow said she’s willing to watch herself in, as it reminded her of the time her dad visited the set. With Anderson telling her to do his directions exactly the way he wanted, it makes sense since his actors tend to perform similarly in all of his movies. It’s clear the Rushmore director wants his characters to have deadpan mannerisms which helps the mouthfuls of witty dialogue stand out.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s days in the entertainment business may be over, but Jon Favreau and Wes Anderson still have their work cut out for them. In addition to still being involved with The Chef Show (which is on your Netflix subscription), Favreau is still hard at work as the creator of The Mandalorian (found on your Disney+ subscription). As for Wes Anderson, he recently released four short films on Netflix, including The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, and has his 12th film in the works. These two filmmakers may be very different from each other, but they certainly know how to make a name for themselves.

Jon Favreau and Wes Anderson clearly had a great impact on Gwyneth Paltrow if she remembered their directions so well. The cute differences between the two directors show they have memorable styles of their own that can’t escape the actors who’ve worked for them. 

Over the decades, Hollywood has offered up multiple adaptations of Roald Dahl’s work — such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and more — that effectively and authentically capture the iconic stories’ signature whimsical tones and surreal styles. Yet, I do not believe there has ever been a filmmaker better suited to bring the seminal British author’s vision to life on screen than the equally whimsical and surreal Wes Anderson, who first tried his hand at a Dahl adaptation in 2009 with the stop-motion animated Fantastic Mr. Fox, and is now revisiting the author’s world with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

The primary storyline of this 2023 Netflix original movie follows a wealthy aristocrat — played by Benedict Cumberbatch — who learns of a man who can see without the use of his eyes that seeks to harness this skill for himself to benefit his gambling habit. It is hard to believe that this new 37-minute dramedy marks the two-time Academy Award nominee’s first collaboration with Anderson, and as it turns out, he is not the only member of the Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar cast joining that club here. Let’s talk about who plays who and what other movies and TV shows you may recognize them from in the following breakdown of this esteemed ensemble.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Henry Sugar, Max Engelman)

Starring in the title role of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar — as well as that of another character named Max Engelman — is Benedict Cumberbatch, whose second Academy Award-nominated performance (after playing Alan Turing in 2015’s The Imitation Game) came from his last Netflix original film, The Power of the Dog. This is technically not his first Dahl adaptation, having participated in a remote reading of James and the Giant Peach by multiple celebrity as a Covid-era charity benefit, and most definitely not his first literary adaptation, with title roles in the hit series Sherlock, 2018’s The Grinch, and the Marvel’s Doctor Strange movies being his most celebrated credits.

Before becoming a household name, he also played Stephen Hawking in 2004 biopic for BBC (before serving as his vote for 2010’s two-part documentary, Into the Universe) and worked with director Steven Spielberg on War Horse, and following his fame, voiced Smaug in the Hobbit movies, played the Star Trek movies’ new Khan, are appeared in Best Picture Oscar winner 12 Years a Slave. Some of Cumberbatch’s more recent, notable credits include his Emmy-nominated turn as the title role of Showtime’s Patrick Melrose, a memorable cameo in  1917, and 2021’s Amazon Prime original biopic, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.

Ralph Fiennes (Roald Dahl, Policeman)

For his second collaboration with Anderson after 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ralph Fiennes is taking on the illustrious role of Roald Dahl himself — which is not his first time playing a renowned author, having played Charles Dickens in 2013’s The Invisible Woman. It is also not the first time he has played a real person in general, having given a chilling, Oscar-nominated performance as Amon Göth in 1993’s Schindler’s List, played fraudulent game show winner Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show the following year, and starred in another Netflix original, 2020’s The Dig, as archaeologist Basil Brown, to name a few examples. 

Like Cumberbatch, many of the English actor’s best known roles are also literary figures, such as his second Oscar-nominated role in The English Patient, Voldemort from the Harry Potter movies, the most recent “M” from the James Bond movies, or Alfred Pennyworth in The LEGO Batman Movie. Some the iconic characters he has originated including Harry from In Bruges and The Menu cast’s sinister Chef Slowik. 

Dev Patel (Dr. Chatterjee, John Winston)

As Dr. Chatterjee and John Winston, we have Dev Patel, who, curiously has a few things in common with Ralph Fiennes. Dev has also given an Oscar-nominated performance in a Best Pictures Oscar winner (2008’s Slumdog Millionaire), starred in a few movies revolving around hotel setting (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, its sequel, and Hotel Mumbai), and has multiple leading roles in previous literary adaptations — most notably The Personal History of David Copperfield in the title role and the acclaimed A24 movie, The Green Knight, as Sir Gaiman.

Of course, the London-born actor — who made his big break in the original Skins cast — actor also has a few biopics under his belt, namely 2015’s The Man Who Knew Infinity and Lion from the following year. Patel is also know for playing Zuko in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, creator Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom cast on HBO, and is about to make his feature-length directorial debut with another Netflix movie called Monkey Man, which he also wrote, produced and stars in.

Ben Kingsley (Imdad Khan, Croupier)

Playing the guru whose unique skill Henry Sugar covets and a gaming table runner is Sir Ben Kingsley, who is also working with Anderson for the first time here. Though he was in Schindler’s List with Fiennes and, like Cumberbatch, is also part of the MCU thanks to his controversial role as Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi. Like most of his The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar co-star, the English actor has starred in many a biopic — most famously 1982’s Gandhi, for which he won a Best Actor Oscar — and many other literary adaptations, such as 2005’s Oliver Twist, Disney’s 2016 The Jungle Book remake, and the hit Martin Scorsese movies, Shutter Island and Hugo.

Crime thrillers are another area where Kingsley has thrived, having stunned in 2000’s Sexy Beast and Lucky Number Slevin from 2006, but you can find him in just about any genre you can think of. He’s done horror with Species, sci-fi with A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, and even low-brow comedy with Mike Myers’ The Guru, to name just a few examples of each category, among others. This is also just his latest Netflix exclusive, following 2017’s political satire War Machine, the platform’s 2018 Watership Down miniseries adaptation, and 2019’s The Red Sea Diving Resort.

Richard Ayoade (Dr. Marshall, Yogi)

Appearing in the roles of Dr. Marshall and Yogi is Richard Ayoade, who last worked with Fiennes in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Kingsley in The Boxtrolls, and Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. He is best known in the United Kingdom as a presenter for unscripted series like Travel Man (which earned him a BAFTA nomination), hilarious TV comedies like The IT Crowd (which earned him a BAFTA win), and directing many amusing projects, including his 2010 feature-length debut, Submarine (for which he also received BAFTA attention).

American audiences might also recognize Ayoade’s face from the 2012 sci-fi comedy, The Watch, or from the beloved family movie, Paddington 2, as a forensic investigator. However, they may better recognize his voice from the Soul cast, from his  Mandalorian  droid named Zero, as Professor Marmalade from 2022’s The Bad Guys cast, and as the lead in creator Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis, most recently.

Log into your Netflix subscription now to stream The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar on Netflix now. Also, keep in mind, that — according to Tudum — this is just the first of several Roald Dahl-inspired shorts from Anderson and featuring many of these actors that fans can look forward to.

It has been nearly a decade-and-a-half since Wes Anderson last adapted one of Roald Dahl’s timeless stories and made the incredible stop-motion animated movie that was Fantastic Mr. Fox. At long last, the visionary director known for quirky stories and awe-inspiring shots is adapting another one of Dahl’s books for the screen, and this time it’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. 

At some point in the very near future, anyone with a Netflix subscription will get to see what Anderson and his small yet star-studded cast have in store with the short film based on one of the author’s darker collections of stories. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation.

What Is The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Release Date?

Wes Anderson fans will be treated to two releases in the span of a few months, as The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is set to hit the streamer at some point by the end of the 2023, Netflix announced earlier in the year. We don’t yet have an exact date as of June 2023, but we should know more about the filmmaker’s followup to Asteroid City in the coming weeks and months.

Benedict Cumberbatch Leads The Star-Studded Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar Cast

Anderson is known for pulling together large ensemble casts for his best movies, with some titles featuring a couple dozen or more actors playing all types of characters. But, when The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is released before the year’s end, it will see a much smaller (yet just as talented) group of actors on screen.

Back in January 2022, Deadline announced that Benedict Cumberbatch would be leading the cast as the titular Henry Sugar, with Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, and Ben Kingsley all appearing in undisclosed roles. Just a few days later, the outlet would go on to reveal that Rupert Friend and Richard Ayoade would round out the cast.

The filmmaker has a habit of calling on the same group of actors for each of his productions, but only two from the upcoming 2023 Netflix movie – Fiennes and Friend – have appeared in at least one of his prior movies. 

The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar Will Be Split Into Multiple Chapters Focusing On Some Of Roald Dahl's Darker Characters

Similar to The French Dispatch with its various sections and endings, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar will be split into multiple chapters based on stories from Roald Dahl’s book of the same name. When speaking with Variety in May 2023, Rupert Friend, who was part of one of the most random scenes in Asteroid City, revealed some details about the upcoming release:

The Obi-Wan Kenobi cast-member went on to reveal that he’d be in “The Ratcatcher” and “The Swan.” He didn’t provide too many details about his performance, but Friend admitted that the film “was a dream come true,” and that he “grew up completely obsessed with Dahl.”

About Roald Dahl's Collection Of Short Stories

Originally published in 1977, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More is a collection of seven short stories that were all written at various times in Roald Dahl’s life. The stories range from fiction to autobiographical and saw the acclaimed children’s book writer tell tales that were aimed at older audiences, opposed to his classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The BFG.

The collection includes stories like the account of a boy who could talk to animals, a mysterious hitchhiker, a man who has the ability to see without his eyes, and other tales of mystery and magic. It remains in publication, and can be picked up at online retailers like Amazon and countless others that offer classic books for sale. 

The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar Will Be 37 Minutes Long

Those expecting to see a feature-length film with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar should go in knowing that the upcoming release won’t be nearly as long as Anderson’s other projects. In a June 2023 interview with IndieWire, the director touched on how, despite long wanting to adapt the Dahl collection of stories for the screen, he had trouble coming up with the approach. But, then he had his eureka moment:

Another factor that helped with the 37-minute runtime was Netflix’s 2021 acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company, which has made the streamer the home for many of the late author’s adaptations, per The Hollywood Reporter. Anderson went on to explain that there would never be distribution for a short film in a traditional cinema setting.

The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar Was Shot On 16MM Film

Wes Anderson and his creative team have never shied away from messing with the aspect ratios, colors, and film stocks used in each of his movies, and that appears to be the case once more. In a June 2023 interview with The Film Stage, cinematographer Robert Yeoman, who has worked extensively with Anderson in the past, revealed that the upcoming Netflix movie was shot on 16mm film, which gave it “such a distinct look.”

Yeoman went on to say that Henry Sugar is “a little bit different style” than what Anderson has done in the past, adding that it was mostly filmed on a stage with forced perspective.

Expect to hear more about The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar in the weeks and months to come. But in the meantime, don’t forget to check out our 2023 movie schedule to see what else is coming your way before year’s end.

When it comes to movies, I’ve watched a lot of films from some of the best. I’ve seen a good amount of Christopher Nolan movies (even though I just watched Interstellar for the first time), I’ve seen all of Martin Scorsese’s films, and have watched every single M. Night Shyamalan horror/thriller that he has put out, for better or worse. But, one director I hadn't seen every single film for was Wes Anderson. 

Granted, I had seen plenty of them before. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel were some of my favorite films back when I was a teenager and they still stand out as awesome picks. Because I’ve been trying to rejuvenate my life with some amazing movies, though, I decided to watch every single Anderson movie so far – and I had some thoughts. 

In celebration of Asteroid City releasing, here is what I thought of every Wes Anderson movie – starting from the very beginning. 

To Be Honest, Bottle Rocket And Rushmore Were Forgettable In Comparison To Anderson’s Later Films

Yeah, these two didn’t stand out to me as much, if we’re being honest. 

Bottle Rocket was based on a short that Anderson did two years prior, and while the introduction of the Wilson brothers was great for Hollywood, I genuinely, for the life of me, don’t understand why this was the feature that made Wes Anderson famous. 

It’s a very simple movie on the surface level, and for a feature directorial debut, it’s great, but it pales in comparison to many of his other films that he directed later on. 

The same goes for Rushmore. While it was also a great introduction to Jason Schwartzman and the beginning of Bill Murray appearing in many Anderson movies, nothing about it really stood out to me. The performances were great, and the cinematography was always fantastic, but other than that, I won’t be re-watching it. 

But The Royal Tenenbaums Was The First One That Stood Out To Me

I had never seen The Royal Tenenbaums until recently, and I regret it! This movie is a ton of fun and I can understand why many people consider it one of Anderson’s best so far. The story, written by both Anderson and Owen Wilson, is hilarious, and I look at this movie sort of as the beginning of Anderson starting to play with colors and cinematography a lot more than his previous two. 

This film is where we really start to see the “Anderson touch,” as I call it, where you just know it’s directed by him from only a trailer. You don’t even need to be told. And with a cast that features the brilliant talents of actors such as Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, and more? It’s a recipe for success. 

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Deserved More Love At The Box Office

To be honest, The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou is such an underrated gem. Bill Murray stars in this film, alongside a stellar cast of Owen Wilson, Angelica Huston, Jeff Goldblum – even the talented Cate Blanchett. 

I can’t understand why this film didn’t do well at the box office, because it has all the makings of a true original – but at least it has become a cult classic years later. Maybe it's because it was competing with other big films at the time, like Meet the Fockers or Ocean’s Twelve, but this should have gotten so much more love. 

The Brothers Of The Darjeeling Limited Were The Best Part Of The Movie

The Darjeeling Limited was one of my least favorites, and to be honest, that’s mainly because I personally didn’t connect with the story. The cinematography was outstanding, as per Wes Anderon’s shots, as he always seems to have the best ones in the game of filmmaking. But, the story…it was just sort of “meh,” to me. 

However, what I will say is that The Darjeeling Limited did an excellent job with its main three actors, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, and Owen Wilson. These three as the brothers was top-ten casting for all the dramedies out there, because they made it look so natural, as if they really were related. Their chemistry was some of the best I’ve seen in an Anderson film, and I would gladly view all three together in another movie at some point. 

I’ve Seen Fantastic Mr. Fox Before – And It’s Truly The Best Stop-Motion Animated Film Out There

I could go on for hours about how much I love Fantastic Mr. Fox. I’ve already talked about it in my best stop-motion animation list because it’s genuinely one of the most beautiful stop-motion movies ever. 

Man, this movie never gets old. There’s something new that you discover about it every time you watch. The voice-acting was done exceptionally well, and every frame had a purpose and a meeting. Animation isn’t just a genre – it’s art form, and this is a beautiful example of that. Truly, one of the best stop-motion movies. 

Moonrise Kingdom Is Just As Delightful As It Was When I First Watched It

I adore this movie. Moonrise Kingdom is one of those films that you watch when you’re having a bad day and you need something to make you smile. At its core, it’s a sweet love story that incorporates aspects of childhood fantasies, such as running away and looking for a new life. 

What really makes it such a great movie is the two child actors who carry this film – Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Yes, the cast is full of talented actors and actresses, but these two were the heart of the movie and were the reasons I watched it as a thirteen-year-old – and now, they're the reasons I watched it as a 24 year old. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel Is A Lot Funnier Than I Remember It Being

This movie had no business being this funny. 

I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel in a theater with my dad, and I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’ve grown up since seeing it, or my sense of humor has matured, but this movie was so freaking funny. 

Specifically, the main star of the film, Ralph Fiennes, and Tony Revolori, were two of the best parts. Their scenes in the film made me laugh my butt off and their comedic timing was on point. They really did make it that much more entertaining. 

Isle Of Dogs Isn’t As Great As Mr. Fox – But There’s A Lot To Love About It

Isle of Dogs is Anderson’s second stop-motion film – and I’ll be honest and say I don’t enjoy it nearly as much as I did Fantastic Mr. Fox. I think it’s really because the movie felt as if it was trying to draw inspiration from one of my favorite directors of all time, Hayao Miyazaki, with its themes, but it didn’t quite pin it down story-wise. 

However, there’s still a lot to love about it. The voice cast is outstanding, with actors that I’m sure everyone has heard of and will adore hearing in this movie, like Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray (of course) and way more. The animation is a heck of a lot of fun – maybe not as whimsical and enjoyable as Mr. Fox, but there’s still plenty to enjoy. 

The French Dispatch Almost Fit Too Much Into Its Near Two Hour Time-Frame

I wanted to adore The French Dispatch so badly. Don’t get me wrong, the movie itself has a lot going for it, including the amazing French Dispatch cast, as well as its incredible score, but there's so much in this story that it’s sort of hard to follow. 

It was difficult to keep up with the insane number of names, storylines, and so much more that this movie had to offer. I think it would have been better if the film was just a tad longer, but within this timeframe there was enough space to enjoy everything.

I’m Excited To Finally Get To See Asteroid City

That being said, after this binge of Anderson movies, I can say I’m looking forward to Asteroid City. The movie, again, has a star-studded cast, with a story that is genuinely interesting, so I’m eager to see where it goes. 

What do you love the most about the director? Now all I need to do is get on TikTok and hop on that Wes Anderson trend before it goes out of style. 

Warning: Mild spoilers for Asteroid City are in play. If you haven’t seen the film just yet, you’ve been warned. 

The world of Wes Anderson movies feels like a dollhouse, in that it’s an elaborate and meticulously curated experience that we’re invited to experience each time he releases a new film. Asteroid City is yet another example of such a phenomenon. However, what makes this film all the more interesting is that Anderson was relatively hands-off when it came to one particular piece of the puzzle -- a dance number. So, while speaking with actors Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend about their roles in the film, they broke down their unusual dance in the film, and how they collaborated with the director to make it.

This knowledge was shared with me during the press day for Wes Anderson’s latest, as I was able to sit down with both Hawke and Friend for one of the day’s interviews. Their recollection of pulling together the moment where a school teacher (Maya Hawke) and a cowboy (Rupert Friend) dance to the tune of a song praising the UFO that’s visited Asteroid City’s central local painted a picture that’s both unexpected, but very apropos of the auteur filmmaker’s fictional worlds. 

As these co-stars spoke with CinemaBlend, Maya Hawke's portion of the conversation highlighted just how unusual this scene was to craft. Here's what she had to say: 

“Dear Alien” is one of two original songs in Asteroid City, thanks to the collaboration of Richard Hawley and Jarvis Cocker, along with Wes Anderson joining in for that song in particular. In that respect, one could assume that his familiarity with the material was what guided his thought process when putting together Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend’s rather impromptu hoedown on set.

Even with that in mind, this is the same director that is known to provide his cast with full animatics of the project they’re about to embark on. That process was still very much present when making this film, so one has to wonder what the rough version of the sequence where “they dance” looked like in comparison. It's a question that feels like a deeper rabbit hole than it seems, especially when looking at how Asteroid City's trailer sells the whole package in a mysterious, but still laugh-out-loud manner.

Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend’s big song and dance number in Asteroid City may be unusual, but for this slice of Andersonia in particular, that seems to be par for the course. At the same time, that sort of comedic energy mixed with a dramatic sweetness is used to dissect our modern times in a fantastical view of the past. Or that seems to be the aim when you take into account the reactions Asteroid City’s cast had to its rather cryptic message. 

Depending on who you talk to, Asteroid City is about finding meaning in the presence of “interesting times.” Though a random musical number praising extraterrestrial life may seem out of place to some in those circumstances, Maya Hawke may have summed up just why this scene works so well: "freedom and exuberance and joy."

And when Rupert Friend discussed with CinemaBlend the process of creating "Dear Alien," he tied the finished product to the much deeper story at hand. Friend's story reads as follows:

You can experience this lovely little moment for yourself in theaters, as Asteroid City is currently showing in all of its cinematic glory. And don't forget to come back and read up on what that rather cryptic ending could mean; as you're definitely going to have some questions walking out of the theater. Also, there are still plenty of 2023 new movie releases waiting down the line including some more Maya Hawke movie and TV roles.

It isn’t that uncommon for a director to build a troupe of actors and continually call on them for the latest and greatest projects. Greats like Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Christopher Nolan have done it a lot over the years, working time and time again with the likes of Robert De Niro, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Cillian Murphy, respectively; and so too does Wes Anderson.

In addition to each of his movies featuring a unique sense of style and humor, as well as his signature shots, Anderson’s work has largely featured the same group of actors (though some get off the bus while others get on) taking on various roles. Names like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson quickly come to mind when this discussion is brought up, but who’s appeared in the most movies directed by the quirky and eccentric filmmaker? Well, funny you should ask… 

Bill Murray - 9 Movies 

In a June 2023 interview with Deadline, Anderson said he “can’t imagine not working with” Bill Murray again, and that the only reason the actor wasn’t part of Asteroid City was because he contracted COVID ahead of production. But, even though he didn’t appear in the movie CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg called a “meta, Looney Tunes-esque delight,” he’s still the most prolific of all of Anderson’s collaborators.

In fact, since first working with the filmmaker for his 1998 sophomore effort, Rushmore, Murray has appeared in all of his movies, both live-action and animated, outside of the aforementioned Asteroid City. This comes to a total of nine films. He doesn’t always have the biggest role, but more times than not, he steals the show.

Jason Schwartzman - 8 Movies

Jason Schwartzman, in addition to being on one of the greatest HBO shows that ended too early, has also been one of Anderson’s most called upon stars, including for Asteroid City. Since first landing the starring role in Rushmore (his feature film debut), the former Phantom Planet drummer has appeared in all but two of the director’s movies: The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Schwarzman isn’t always the main attraction, but more times than not, he serves as a nice addition in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom. And, when he’s not around, the actor’s absence can be felt.

Owen Wilson - 7 Movies

The partnership shared by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson is unlike any other on this list, as the Loki star has not only acted in seven of the director’s movies, but also co-written several of them. They first collaborated on the 1994 short film, Bottle Rocket, which would be turned into their respective feature film debuts two years later. The future “Frat Pack” member would also receive writing credit for Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, though he didn’t act in the former (maybe his spot in the Armageddon cast got in the way).

Since then, the Texas native has been in every Anderson movie save for Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, and Asteroid City. His roles have ranged from the lead in The Darjeeling Limited to small parts in the likes of The French Dispatch.

Adrien Brody - 5 Movies

Unlike the first three actors on this list, Adrien Brody didn’t start working with the director until his fifth movie, The Darjeeling Limited. But ever since appearing in the 2007 comedy about three estranged brothers who embark on a “spiritual journey,” the Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in five of Anderson’s movies, missing only two: Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs.

Some of Anderson’s best movies have featured Brody in roles ranging from minor parts like Mouse in Fantastic Mr. Fox to unforgettable characterizations in the likes of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and everywhere in between. 

Anjelica Huston - 5 Movies

Anjelica Huston, with her Oscar, Golden Globe, and collection of other accolades, is another prolific collaborator of Anderson’s. Since playing Etheline Tenenbaum in 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, the actress appeared in four additional movies, the most recent being The French Dispatch, which featured her as the narrator for the movie’s introduction.

It should also be noted that Huston does appear in the Isle of Dogs cast, even though she plays a character listed as “Mute Poodle,” as Anderson couldn’t find a proper speaking role for the talented actress. 

Bob Balaban - 5 Movies

Although he is best known for his appearances in Christohper Guest’s movies, Bob Balaban is also a frequent collaborator with Wes Anderson, appearing in a total of five movies over the years.

Ever since he provided the narration in Moonrise Kingdom, Balaban has had some kind of role in Anderson’s films, including the 2023 release of Asteroid City. He’s not the first actor you probably think of when discussing the filmmaker’s work, but Balaban is prolific nonetheless. 

Edward Norton - 5 Movies

Just like Balaban and the actress who follows just below, Edward Norton has appeared in all five of Wes Anderson’s most recent films dating back to Moonrise Kingdom. These appearances have been all over the place, with the talented actor playing every type of character from a boy scout leader in the 2012 coming-of-age comedy to an inspector from a fictional European country in The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Norton most recently appeared in Asteroid City, in which he played Conrad Earp, the legendary playwright who crafted the stage production at the heart of the movie. 

Tilda Swinton - 5 Movies

Including her portrayal of a tenacious and determined social services worker in Moonrise Kingdom, Tilda Swinton has had a sizable role in five of Anderson’s movies. The talented Academy Award-winning actress has helped bring to life some of the filmmaker’s most unforgettable characters during that stretch, including writer J.K.L. Berensen in the first of three main stories in the 2021 comedy film, The French Dispatch.

Swinton brings a fun and unique energy to each of her performances in his movies, which is probably why the director continues to call up on her as often as he does.

Willem Dafoe - 5 Movies

Willem Dafoe first worked with Wes Anderson in 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which just happens to be one of the actor’s best movies. Since he played Zissou’s deeply devoted first mate, Klaus Daimler, nearly 20 years ago, Dafoe has gone on to appear in four additional Anderson pics, the most recent being Asteroid City.

Though his characters have been all over the spectrum of good and evil, Dafoe has been consistently great in each of his portrayals, creating some hilarious, heartfelt, and unforgettable moments, even when he doesn’t get a lot of screen time.

Jeff Goldblum - 4 Movies

And then there is Jeff Goldblum, who has appeared in a total of four Anderson movies. The partnership started with 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and has continued sporadically over the years. 

The iconic actor most recently appeared in Asteroid City, but we won’t go into the identity of his character so that we don’t spoil anything for those who have yet to see the movie.

These are Wes Anderson’s most prolific collaborators, but there are many other actors who have appeared in his various releases for the past quarter-century or so. Luke WIlson (3), Tony Revolori (3), Liev Schreiber (3), Fisher Stevens (4), Frances McDormand (3), Jeffrey Wright (2), and countless others have worked with the director on more than one occasion. We can expect this list to change in time, especially with The Phoenician Scheme on the way.

Warning: spoilers for Asteroid City are in play. If you haven’t seen this movie just yet, you’ve been warned. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t go to sleep.” It’s the line that pops up out of nowhere and stuns audiences in Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City, which is about to open in wide release this weekend. The 2023 new movie release is one of his most experimental, thanks in part to this philosophical broadside that plows into a movie already navigating two realms of reality. So I had to ask the cast about this baffling statement from the film, who in turn have provided some interesting interpretations of their own. 

While speaking with Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright, Brody immediately picked up on the question at hand. Though he deferred the question to his interview partner, which allowed Wright to rope in some knowledge from a previous Wes Anderson movie. Sharing his thoughts with CinemaBlend, the actor's interpretation of this mystery is quite intriguing: 

Indeed, the ending to Asteroid City seems to be playing in the same sort of themes that The French Dispatch’s various finales all took part in. In Wright’s summation of the more recent movie’s conclusion, it would appear that Wes Anderson has played with some massively relevant social themes in his more recent films.

One could even expand that opinion to cover The Grand Budapest Hotel, and its charmingly whimsical caper set against a nation sinking under a growing tide of fascism. Just like with his previous filmography, the trailer for Asteroid City hides this greater playground of thought in the usual candy colored settings and stylistic choices the independent auteur has always used to get his message across. 

Looking at Asteroid City in the context of modern day issues was the common thread that ran through the rest of the rooms I interviewed as well. When speaking with Hope Davis and Steven Park, their read on “You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” tied into another key piece of dialogue delivered by Adrien Brody’s Schubert Green. Piecing together the themes of the picture a little more in their own way, here’s Davis and Park’s reactions: 

Steven Park: Well it’s a little bit of a zen koan, that’s my interpretation, where you can’t quite understand it intellectually. But the idea of waking up to the present moment, waking up to wonder. I think that’s kind of what Wes is pointing to, that there is something that’s beyond what we can understand. And like what Adrien Brody’s character is saying to Jason’s character about, ’Just keep on telling the story You’re doing great. You don’t need to understand it. Just keep moving forward.’’

Hope Davis: Me too, that’s my favorite line in the movie. … I feel every day that I’m battling this wave of information and digital content. To me it’s about saying we have to put it down, and go to sleep. It’s very literal in a way, we have to find a way to get back to a more natural rhythm of actually detaching from the world. Letting your brain shut down, so you could actually be with the person that you’re facing the next day; rather than everyone kind of existing in this half kind of awake, half there/half not there. I think this is something that Wes must have a strong opinion about, because you never see him distracted. I’ve never seen him hold a phone, I don’t know if he has a phone. But I think it’s like, we’ve gotta reconnect. 

Park: I think we tend to, especially because we’re all connected to social media and whatever, we tend to walk around in this trance state. And it’s kind of a call to, ‘Hey, wake up. There’s something happening in front of you right here, right now.’

Already some have picked up on the possibility that Wes Anderson took the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other current events of dismay, and expressed his own thoughts on those themes in Asteroid City. Hope Davis’ thoughts especially opened the door to a moral that encourages us to stop doom-scrolling and go back to dreaming. 

It was all brought home in the final room for the day, as Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend were my final stop on this tour of talk. Returning to that question one last time, their sentiments aligned perfectly with their cast mates, while also adding a deeper context. What Hawke and Friend provided to CinemaBlend is as follows: 

Maya Hawke: I think it means if you don’t take the time to rest, and to let go, you’ll never really have awareness of what’s happening in the world around you. Anyone can have a different interpretation, but awakeness in terms of like spiritual awakeness and presence in your own life; being present. And you can’t really be present if you don’t let yourself rest.

Rupert Friend: I would go a little bit more into the sort of meditation side of things. I think it’s about shedding the ego in the sense of ‘I,’ and remembering that everything is connected. And if you want to enter that dream, it is a true dream, then you drop this notion of ‘us and them.’ 

No matter which film of his you’re discussing, the unifying element throughout Wes Anderson’s movies is that they’re all set in a world slightly removed from ours. Whether it’s through varying layers of reality, or even in the context of aspect ratios and varying time periods, we the audience aren’t in the same world as the characters of a film like Asteroid City. 

The question of whether that makes Anderson’s message easier or more difficult to access is up to interpretation. This is probably part of why the cast took part in that Wes Anderson TikTok trend, as a good way to sell a movie of such a complex tone. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” is one of the lines people will be dissecting for some time to come after experiencing it firsthand. If you’re ready to take this wild ride of aliens, quarantines, martini vending machines, and theater for yourself, Asteroid City is currently in theaters. Just remember, you can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep. But if you fall asleep at the wrong time, you could miss one of the most Wes Anderson shots in the film.

More so than with any other living filmmaker, you immediately know when you are watching Wes Anderson movies. The auteur has developed a trademark style, color palette, cinematography, and tone for his various movies over the years. This unique form of visual storytelling has led to some of the most inventive and iconic shots in modern cinema

As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, which selected Asteroid City as an Artisan film, and where you can now purchase tickets to see the film on the big screen, we’ve decided to go back through his first 10 movies and pick out the shots that best represent the director’s iconic style. Many planning sessions, dance parties, and melodramatic moments went into the making of this list, so please enjoy. 

Bottle Rocket (1996) - Planning The Robbery

Though he had not yet fully developed the style for which he is now known, you can see traces of what was to come in Wes Anderson’s 1996 crime comedy, Bottle Rocket, which he wrote alongside Owen Wilson, one of his most prolific collaborators. This is best illustrated in the scene in which Dignan (Wilson), Anthony Adams (Luke Wilson), and Bob Mapplethorpe (Robert Musgrave) are planning the film’s robbery.

Planning sequences would go on to become a major component of Anderson’s work in the years to come, so it’s fun to see the genesis of this element in his debut film.

Rushmore (1998) - The Revenge Montage

Anderson continued to evolve his style with his 1998 sophomore effort, Rushmore, a movie about an eccentric teenager named Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) who goes to war with his mentor, Herman Blume (Bill Murray), after they both fall in love with the same woman, played by Olivia Williams.

The director has long used non-orchestral songs in some of his biggest scenes, and that’s the case in the “Revenge Montage” in Rushmore, where Max gets back at Herman in their petty feud. The entire sequence, which is set to The Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away,” is worth a watch, but the shot of the teenager walking in slow motion out of an elevator after carrying out his revenge is classic.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - Window Scene In Prologue

The Royal Tenenbaums, released in 2001, feels like the beginning of the style we now most associate with Wes Anderson. The distinct color palettes, the multitude of symmetrical shots, and the quirky tone are all on full display in this movie about an estranged father (Gene Hackman) attempting to reconnect with his family.

There’s a moment in which the younger versions of Margot and Chas Tenenbaum look out windows at their father down below. The contrast of red bricks, gray stone, pink walls, and white art on the walls sets a visual tone that is carried throughout the rest of the movie.

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004) - In Awe Of The Jaguar Shark

In The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Anderson takes the visual toolbox he constructed in his three previous films to create a career-defining experience, one that tells the story of an oceanographer (Bill Murray) searching for the “Jaguar Shark” that ate his best friend, but the underwater encounter with the fabled beast is the best.

There’s a moment in which Zissou, who is in the center of the frame, is being embraced by everyone in a cramped submarine as they find the elusive Jaguar Shark. Both triumphant and melancholic, the sequence, thanks in part to Sigur Ros’ beautiful “Staralfur,” creates an unforgettable moment.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) - The Funeral Scene

His fifth movie, 2007’s The Darjeeling Limited, takes audiences along with three brothers – Peter (Adrien Brody), Francis (Owen Wilson), and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) as they go on a spiritual journey through India.

There’s a shot part way through the movie where the brothers leave a funeral for a young boy in one of the most impressive tracking shots of Anderson’s career. But the moment gets even better when the trio get into a car and the movie immediately cuts to a flashback from their father’s funeral a year earlier. Not only does the cut show how far they’ve come, it also creates a dizzying visual experience.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - Mr. Fox Meets The Wolf

The filmmaker’s 2009 stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is a true delight and one of his best achievements. The animated movie, with its warm colors, outstanding cinematography, and tremendous story, gives plenty of reasons to be so well remembered.

The moment that always comes back is the scene in which Mr. Fox (George Clooney) has a near-religious experience when he meets a wolf in the wild. It’s a short scene, but a powerful one nonetheless, and is capped off with a shot of both the wild wolf and not-so-wild fox sharing a moment of solidarity with their paws raised towards the heavens.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - The Treehouse

Released in 2012, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of a young boy and girl who run away together to an isolated beach in an attempt to escape their guardians and peers. The central coming-of-age story is a grand exploration of young love, rebellion, and freedom, but there are a lot of secondary characters that lead to some signature Wes Anderson moments.

One of the quirkiest of these shots shows a treehouse built by a group of Khaki Scouts at the top of the tallest tree you’ve ever seen. Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton) is not amused or excited about the dangerous shelter several stories in the sky, but for the viewer it creates an unforgettable moment.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - Jail Escape

Some would argue that The Grand Budapest Hotel is the most Wes Anderson movie of his career, and there’s a case to be made for that. The movie, which centers on the famed concierge, Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Feinnes), of a mountainside resort, is full of great miniatures, tracking shots, a great deal of symmetry, and a great score.

We could talk about a number of scenes, however, the one that sticks out the most is the jailbreak scene in which Gustave and his fellow prisoners attempt to escape. It’s cartoonish, meticulous, and incredibly charming, which are probably the best ways to describe Anderson’s work.

Isle Of Dogs (2018) - The Sushi Scene

In 2018, Anderson released his second stop-motion animated movie, Isle of Dogs, in which the mayor of a Japanese town banned all dogs and sent them to a remote island. We could go on about all the gorgeous shots and sequences throughout this charming movie, but the sushi scene is the scène du jour.

Though the sequence does end with someone eating a poisoned piece of sushi, the events that precede it are beautifully crafted and animated. The combination of violence and artistry creates this very Wes Anderson experience, one that is so precise and well-crafted.

The French Dispatch (2021) - The Sentence Diagram

Anderson’s 2021 anthology film, The French Dispatch, brings to life three stories from the final issue of the French foreign bureau of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun newspaper. Each of the main segments are full of wonderful moments, but the most Wes Anderson shot of the whole film takes place in one of the portions following the staff of the newspaper.

The moment in question shows Alumna (Elisabeth Moss), the French Dispatch’s copy editor, working on what could be the most impressive sentence diagram the world has ever seen. It’s unnecessarily complicated, but that has sort of become Anderson’s charm in recent years. 

We can’t wait to see what Wes Anderson has in store for us with Asteroid City, whether it’s crafting wonderfully composed shots of characters in symmetrical settings, wonderful musical numbers, or anything else we covered. If you’re just as intrigued and excited, you’ll probably want to go ahead and purchase your tickets before you’re out of time.

Asteroid City opens in theaters on June 23, 2023.  

In a day and age of risk-averse cinema, increased stylistic homogenization, and obsession with intellectual properties, the films of writer/director Wes Anderson have a special creative potency. On a general level, audiences have expectations that are consistently met (dry-but-witty dialogue, precocious children, pastel colors, and tracking shots galore, to name a few), but the features surprise, engage, and stand apart with smart and complex personalities, odd narratives, and what registers as works of an unimpeded auteur. Like many of his peers from the 1980s/1990s class of indie writer/directors, Anderson’s uncompromised vision continues to have an important place in modern cinema, and his latest, the delightful, cartoony Asteroid City, is here to reconfirm that truth.

Certainly one of the filmmaker’s more whimsical efforts (never getting anywhere particularly close to the heavier beats in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, or The Grand Budapest Hotel), the movie not only delivers Looney Tunes-esque silliness that comes paired with one of cinema’s most awkward alien invasions, but wraps the whole thing in a meta presentation that sees the events of the story unfold as a play within a presentation about the creation of said play, complete with a Rod Serling-esque narrator played by Bryan Cranston. Needless to say, it’s not a film that is going to convert anyone who has already decided that Wes Anderson’s style is not their thing, but those anticipating his most genre-centric work since The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou will not be left disappointed.

The play within the making of the play finds an ensemble cast of characters gathered together in the titular desert town to participate in the 1955 Junior Stargazer Convention, an event that brings together a group of young prodigies – Woodrow (Jake Ryan), Dinah (Grace Edwards), Clifford (Aristou Meehan), Shelly (Sophia Lillis), and Ricky (Ethan Josh Lee) – who have each crafted genius inventions and are competing for a scholarship prize. As the academic celebration unfolds, however, the teens, their parents, the event organizers, a visiting class of school children, and the locals are all stunned when a spaceship comes down out of the sky and an alien artlessly snatches the meteorite that inspired Asteroid City’s name.

Bewilderment results in a quarantine with an indefinite end date, and as the teenage geniuses collaborate and try to contact the outside world, Woodrow’s father, Augie (Jason Schwarzman), a recently widowed photographer, strikes up a bond with Dinah’s mother, Midge (Scarlett Johansson), an actor who is distracted preparing for her latest role. All the while, The Host (Cranston) guides us through the work of playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton) and we see his latest work come together amidst creative challenges, casting, and actor disputes.

Wes Anderson fans will be delighted by their trip to Asteroid City.

Asteroid City is minimalist in its scope and setting, but it’s also Wes Anderson at his broadest – as though the filmmaker is liberated by the fiction of the play within a movie while still working within rules of the aesthetic (the idea of everything playing out on a theatrical stage). The mention of Looney Tunes above is actually more literal than figurative, as the film borrows heavily from the classic cartoons, right down perfect mushroom clouds in the distance from A-bomb testing, to the occasional appearance of a roadrunner that goes, “Meep meep.”

Between the orange of the desert sand and the clear blue sky, the Anderson color palette is in full effect, and there are some perfectly framed, intimate-yet-distant moments between Augie and Midge as they chat from windows in their neighboring bungalows – but that’s just scratching the surface of the auteur’s touches. The director empties his full bag of tricks in the making of Asteroid City to brilliant effect, from his trademark horizontally-traveling tracking shots elegantly adding to the idea that we’re watching everything play out on a stage, to stop-motion animation being employed in the introduction of the alien. It all pops and wows, which is then used to contrast the meta world of the making of the play, which is all shot in black-and-white and doubles down on the stage play aesthetic with scenes mostly playing out two-dimensionally.

Asteroid City brings together a stellar ensemble, though some stars get shortchanged.

Always adding to the fun in titles of the writer/director’s oeuvre is his penchant for building all-star casts (at this point, mostly featuring actors with whom he’s previously worked), and Asteroid City is no exception – though it can’t be called Anderson’s most well-rounded work in this regard. Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson prove to have terrific chemistry and comedic timing together, and much like with Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson discovers some gifted young stars to play the teenage prodigies, but unlike the minimalist aesthetic, the ensemble sometimes feels overstuffed.

For example, Maya Hawke plays a school teacher doing her best to try and keep a class of students calm after the extraterrestrial encounter and quarantine, but it, along with some romantic tension she has with a local cowboy (Rupert Friend), ultimately feel underserved by the film. With that story included along with the other prodigy parents (Hope Davis, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber) freaking out about quarantine; the owner of the local motel (Steve Carell) orchestrating real estate deals from a vending machine; and Tom Hanks coming in as Augie’s disapproving father-in-law, the film tries to weave with a lot of different threads, but a lot of those threads are too thin for the good of the movie.

With its dual-layered story, meta commentary and extreme goofiness, Asteroid City is a movie that I feel I’ll (happily) need to see again in order to fully appreciate everything that’s presented – but after a first viewing, it can be said to be prime Wes Anderson albeit not peak. It doesn’t add new dimensions to his filmography, but it’s his most fun live-action film since 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom and a showcase of the director doing what he does best.

It’s easy for something to go viral on TikTok if enough people are willing to give something a whirl. Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson were willing to slap each other with tortillas because of a TikTok challenge, and Kevin Bacon even sang the TikTok viral song “It’s Corn.” With a new Wes Anderson feature coming to theaters this summer, more people are catching onto this Oscar-winning director’s filmmaking style with a TikTok trend that’s got the cast of his new movie Asteroid City joining in. 

Every Wes Anderson movie seems to have specific visual trademarks. You may have noticed in classics like Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel, among others, that Anderson uses a soft color palette with his quirky characters, as well as uses deadpan humor to amuse us. There’s also the use of wide-angle tracking shots with Anderson using perfect symmetry to place his characters standing in a single file or in the middle of the shot alone. 

These are qualities unlike any other filmmaker that a ton of TikTokers have placed in their new videos, including the cast of Asteroid City, who have joined in on the fun with their own TikTok below.

As a huge Wes Anderson fan, you can imagine my reaction to watching Universal Pictures' video. Getting to see Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Jason Schwartzman and many others in Asteroid City’s incredible all-star cast doing Wes Anderson-y things totally made my day. They did a great job portraying many of the filmmaker's trademarks, like the signature deadpan movements, the symmetry placement of the cast and the close-up shots of objects they were holding. It's just pure bliss. 

And I’m not the only one blown away by The French Dispatch director’s style. Other TikTokers made videos of their own using Anderson’s signature moves for simple things like going on vacation, to the pool, or even to lunch! These creative videos are filled with comic book-styled opening text, Alexandre Desplat’s score and the type of shots you’d see in any Wes Anderson top-ranked movie. Seeing a trend like this warms my cinephile heart in knowing there are people out there who recognize this filmmaker’s original and distinct level of genius that continues to keep audiences entertained.

As we’re about to hit into the month of June, there are more things you should know about Asteroid City to get you even more pumped. Wes Anderson may be revisiting the period piece genre, but he’ll be exploring the science fiction genre for the first time while still keeping his well-known tropes. This upcoming film will be about young space cadets and out-of-towners coming together for a Junior Stargazing convention. Alexandre Desplat’s score music will also be heard, with this being his sixth collaboration with Anderson. 

Desplat has had a record of doing an amazing job of blending in with the tone of any project he takes on. With critics placing the movie at a current 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is a great sign we’re receiving yet another Anderson hit.

After watching the cast of Asteroid City come up with their own Wes Anderson-themed video, are you next to jump on the bandwagon? If you decide you want in on this, I’m sure your vision will be transformed with your whole world looking like it’s come out of a dollhouse setup and much brighter than usual. Asteroid City’s 2023 movie release will be coming to theaters on June 16th.

When Wes Anderson makes a movie there are a few things that you can be sure of. It will be shot beautifully. The dialogue will be delivered as dryly as humanly possible. The cast will be absolutely out of this world. The new trailer for Asteroid City gives us all that, and also a plot that is equally out of this world because Wes Anderson's new film has been invaded by aliens.

The first trailer for Anderson's next project, Asteroid City is here and it's going to be everything Wes Anderson fans could possibly be hoping for. Frequent collaborator Jason Schwartzman is here, playing a father who has found himself stranded in the titular city when a series of incredible events transpire. Everybody ends up stuck in the small desert town, including Scarlett Johansson, playing a famous actress, and Tom Hanks, playing Schwartzman's father-in-law. Check out the trailer above.

The cast of a Wes Anderson movie is almost always incredible. There are clearly a lot of actors who love to work with him and just as many who would love to do so. The list of stars at the end of the trailer just goes on forever. It includes numerous actors who have worked with Anderson before, like Tilda Swinton and Jeff Goldblum and others who have not appeared in his films, like Margot Robbie. A lot of the actors listed we don't even see in the trailer so we'll have to wait and see what they do.

Tom Hanks' brief appearance in the trailer already makes one wonder how it took this long for him to appear in a Wes Anderson movie. He seems perfectly at home, Andseron's unique style of dialogue delivery feels like something Hanks was born to do.

The idea of Wes Anderson making an "alien invasion" movie is bizarre in itself, like Wes Anderson making a superhero movie, which may be why the idea seems to work so well. The movie looks to basically be Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but with the actual aliens being an afterthought. The movie talk about an alien, but doesn't actually show it to us, because in the end, the movie is about the people in the town dealing with this strange event, not the event itself. The most alien thing about the film is the way everybody talks because human beings just don't have conversations the way they do in Wes Anderson movies. 

Wes Anderson movies are not exactly massive hits, they are something of an acquired taste, but for those of us that have acquired it, Asteroid City looks to be everything we could be hoping for. The movie is set to open this June, which will make for a bit of counter-programming in the 2023 summer blockbuster season. While we're used to seeing movies full of aliens come out in June, those movies have never looked quite like this.

Wes Anderson has been featured on many critics’ “best” lists, receiving award nominations and wins. With all of the creativity and originality he puts into every one of his movies, how can he not? Now, just like how Martin Scorsese dropped his 15 best movies of all time, Wes Anderson is among the growing ranks of directors to post what he believes are the ten best films ever made.

Knowing a director’s favorite movies is like getting the opportunity to get inside their mind. As reported by Hypebeast, Wes Anderson created a list for the British magazine Sight and Sound of what he considers to be the ten best movies ever made. Other directors participated in this annual poll like the Safdie Brothers, Luca Guadagnino, Barry Jenkins, and Ari Aster. But, The Grand Budapest Hotel director picked movies that stood out from what these other directors chose, and you wouldn’t expect anything less from this original filmmaker. Take a look at his picks below:

• La Grande Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937)
• Quai des Orfèvres (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1947)
• The Earrings of Madame de… (Max Ophüls, 1953)
• Vivre Sa Vie (Jean-Luc Godard, 1962)
• The Man Who Loved Women (François Truffaut, 1977)
• Loulou (Maurice Pialat, 1980)
• Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985)
• Olivier, Olivier (Agnieszka Holland, 1992)
• It All Starts Today (Bertrand Tavernier, 1999)
• Kings and Queen (Arnaud Desplechin, 2004)

The movies that ended up making it to the top of Sight and Sound’s greatest movies of all time included 2001: A Space Odyssey, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, and Tokyo Story. Surprisingly, these films didn’t make it on Wes Anderson’s list. His entire list is made up of French cinema. 

That part isn’t too shocking though considering the whimsically quirky filmmaker currently lives in Paris. Not to mention, he incorporates the beautiful city in his movies like Hotel Chevalier, which is set in Paris, the Eiffel Tower is scribed in Max Fischer’s book in Rushmore, two children dance to "Le temps de l’amour" in Moonrise Kingdom, and Anderson’s latest film was The French Dispatch is an anthology set in a fictional French town. 

What makes this list hard to believe is that Wes Anderson’s entries are, as i-d puts it, “murky and depressing.” A lot of the themes for the movies Anderson picked deal with the sorrowful themes of murder, betrayal, and forced sex work. However, while the Moonrise Kingdom filmmaker tends to employ dark themes like depression, murder, and violence into his films it's typically in a deadpan comedic way. 

People know what to expect when they see a Wes Anderson movie. It could be possible that the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s intention is to take these themes and revamp them in a way that’s humorous. The Texan director has said that his inspiration for tracking shots comes from photography and French cinema tends to be an artistic medium. So when you think about it, Wes Anderson’s list isn’t surprising if you look deep into his work, both thematically and technically.

The next movie we have to look forward to from Wes Anderson is Asteroid City. Some quick things we know about the 2023 movie release is that it’ll have a sizeable star-studded cast of actors who have never been in an Anderson ensemble including Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Maya Hawke, Matt Damon, and Sophia Lillis. Unfortunately, a frequent cast member of Anderson's, Bill Murray, had to drop out of production due to contracting COVID. But, we get another returning collaborator, Alexandre Desplat, who will return for the sixth time to score the film. 

Lastly, we know the film will take place in 1955, and it's about students and parents across the country joining a Junior Stargazers convention in a fictional desert town. Just these facts alone are enough for me to put this movie on my watchlist for the upcoming year.

Wes Anderson’s list of his ten favorite movies may be a bit on the depressing side, but they represent the Parisian heart he has held in many of his beloved classics. 

Get ready to see Asteroid City in theaters on limited release on June 16th and wide release on June 23rd, 2023. 

The internet has become a wonderful palace where people can share their art and one thing that we see often is an artistic rendering of how a particular actor might look playing a famous role. However, what would happen if a popular movie was directed by somebody else? One digital artist has imagined what The Avengers would look like if it was directed by Wes Anderson, and even the Russo Brothers are impressed. 

Wes Anderson certainly has a unique aesthetic when it comes to his films. He has a particular use of color and blocking that really exemplifies the phrase “every frame a painting.” So we can probably all sort of imagine what Wes Anderson’s Avengers would look like, even if the idea is clearly bizarre. Digital artist Adam Hall put exactly this together, and the Russo Brothers shared the images, saying it’s actually a movie they want to go see. 

This art is pretty amazing. It’s A.I. assisted art, but even most of the work posted by this artist looks like it was drawn, not like it was posed with real people. If this can be accomplished with this technology it seems likely we will begin to see a lot more of this sort of thing from other artists. 

It certainly doesn’t look much like the MCU that we know. Part of the idea is that not only would this be a Wes Anderson directed Avengers but it would be one from decades before the movie actually came out. As such, what really sets this all apart is the use of costumes that look much more real than the largely CGI creations we get in the actual films.

In the end, this whole idea is probably best as still images. The real thing, if it was attempted, probably wouldn’t end up as creative and bizarre as these pictures look. At the same time you want to see this because in addition to looking amazing the dialogue in this movie would likely be incredible. 

The first batch of images proved so popular, largely due to the Russo Brothers boosting the signal, that the artist Adam Hall created some additional shots that are just as good as what came before. 

And who knows, the multiverse is real, right? That means that somewhere there is probably a Marvel Cinematic Universe that looks like this. We’ve seen Star Wars as interpreted by anime artists, so perhaps we could see Marvel characters given a similar treatment with other filmmakers. It feels unlikely that Wes Anderson would be interested in tackling the Avengers, but who knows, crazy things happen sometimes.  Maybe there's room for a one-off special in Marvel's upcoming Phase 5.

When it comes to Jennifer Aniston, her career has been filled with notable roles and countless lighthearted hits. In recent years, Aniston shifted toward meatier television and film roles to great acclaim. But those roles didn’t always come readily to the Friends alum despite her success in Hollywood. After being a force for three decades, Aniston revealed her thoughts on her standing and which iconic director she still hopes to work with.

For a while, it seemed like the film and television industry only saw the Emmy winner in one lane. She was one of Hollywood’s top rom-com stars in the late 1990s and 2000s. That perception didn’t bypass Jennifer Aniston as she continued to book top-notch roles. Being aware of Hollywood and the audience’s view of her, The Morning Show star spoke on being passed up for more dramatic roles.  

Understandably, Jennifer Aniston grew tired of rom-com roles after being typecast by the industry. Maybe calling out directors’ resistance to cast her in heavier roles will lead to some changes. In wanting to get meatier roles, Aniston gave The Hollywood Reporter the name of one director she wants to work with.

Naming Wes Anderson signaled the Murder Mystery star is ready to take on more eccentric roles. Anderson’s storytelling, direction and aesthetic would mark a sea change for Jennifer Aniston. The French Dispatch director’s work mixes comedy and drama without sacrificing one for the other like in The Grand Budapest Hotel. It would allow the Friends vet to show her range as an actress. Maybe one day she will get the opportunity to be in one of Anderson’s whimsical films.

Even if Jennifer Aniston felt pigeonholed, she’s made tremendous strides to change her standing with roles in The Morning Show and Dumplin’. That doesn’t mean Aniston is avoiding comedy completely. She took part in the Diff’rent Strokes and Facts of Life live special, which seemed like a fun time. Hopefully, the Hollywood star will find more balance in her career as she continues to grow.

Over the course of the past quarter-century, Wes Anderson has created quirky, whimsical, and unique films like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and most recently, The French Dispatch. And now the one-of-a-kind filmmaker will make another addition to his list of cinematic experiences with the star-studded and mysterious sci-fi romantic dramedy titled Asteroid City.

The movie, which will see several of Anderson’s most prolific collaborators share the screen with a few massive stars who are working with the idiosyncratic director for the first time, will be here before you know it, and we have all the details. Here is everything we know about Asteroid City, including its release date, cast, trailer, and much, much more.

What Is The Asteroid City Release Date?

The summer blockbuster season is a busy one in 2023, with massive action movies like Fast X and adventurous journeys like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny coming to the big screen. Between those massive franchises, audiences will get to see Asteroid City when it is released theatrically on June 23rd, Focus Features has announced. 

The Asteroid City Trailer Is Full Of A-List Actors And Whimsical Wes Anderson Tropes

There was a stretch of many months where we didn’t hear or see anything about Wes Anderson’s 11th movie, but that all changed in March 2023, when the debut trailer for Asteroid City was released into the wild. Clocking in at a little more than two minutes, the video offered an extensive look at the film’s A-list cast (more on them in a bit) and more whimsical Wes Anderson tropes than one can count. Check it out below:

On top of that, the Asteroid City trailer, with its symmetrical shots, dry dialogue, and a very pleasing color palette, also introduced prospective audiences to the mysterious story at the center of the upcoming sci-fi comedy that involves a strange desert town, a convention for young stargazers, and a family drama involving Tom Hanks with a killer mustache.

Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman And Scarlett Johansson Lead The Asteroid City Cast

Wes Anderson is no stranger to working with massive (and I mean MASSIVE) groups of actors with each of his movies, but Asteroid City may take things to new heights. The cast, which is led by Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson (the first time working with Anderson for each actor), and Jason Schwartzman (a longtime collaborator), is made up of a who’s who of Hollywood talent. 

Looking the Asteroid City cast list you will see names like Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Stephen Park, Hope Davis, Matt Dillon, Jeff Goldblum, and on, and on, and on. 

Asteroid City Centers On A Desert Town As It Prepares For A Junior Stargazer Convention And A World-Changing Event

Wes Anderson has made period pieces, he’s constructed character studies of dynamic families, and he’s tackled the meaning of art. With Asteroid City he will try his hand at science fiction, but with his own unique spin, of course. According to the official synopsis from Focus Features, Anderson’s upcoming movie centers on a town in the middle of the desert that is preparing for Junior Stargazer convention that will bring young space cadets from across the country to the idyllic town. But the out-of-towners aren’t the only visitors, as a world-changing event will soon bring some unexpected, and out-of-this-world guests.

Asteroid City Is The Sixth Wes Anderson Movie To Be Scored By Alexandre Desplat

French composer Alexandre Desplat has worked with Wes Anderson on every one of the director’s movies since the 2009 release of the stop-motion wonder  that was The Fantastic Mr. Fox and even won an Oscar for the score he wrote for The Grand Budapest Hotel. Well, Desplat and Anderson have worked together once again, as the composer wrote the score for Asteroid City. In November 2021, Film Music Reporter announced that Desplat was to team up with Anderson again on the mysterious feature film, though no other details were provided at the time. This was later confirmed with the March 2023 release of the movie’s poster, which listed Desplat, who also won an Oscar for his work on The Shape of Water, as the composer. 

And though Desplat and Anderson still have a lot of ground to cover to catch up with the iconic pairing of Steven Spielberg and John Williams, six collaborations in under a decade-and-a-half is quite a feat.  

Bryan Cranston Compared The Asteroid City Shoot To An ‘Actor Dream Camp’

Working on a Wes Anderson movie sounds like it’s a daunting yet fulfilling experience, especially when you get to share scenes with the likes of Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, Jeffrey Wright, and Scarlett Johansson, and that’s pretty much what Bryan Cranston had to say about the project. When speaking with Collider in 2022, the Golden Globe winner compared the Asteroid City shoot to an “actor dream camp,” explaining:

Despite the difficulties and high standards of a Wes Anderson production, the Breaking Bad star made it sound as if it was an incredible experience that he won’t soon forget. Also, the thought of playing guitar in a hotel lobby with some of the most interesting actors on the planet doesn’t sound too bad either.

Expect to hear more about both of Wes Anderson’s upcoming projects in the weeks and months to come. But in the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 movie schedule for an up-to-date guide of all the big theatrical and streaming releases.

Wow, are these next few months a great time to be a cinephile! There’s something special about finding a distinct filmmaker you really love and catching their next movie. Wes Anderson is the kind of writer/director who has stayed consistent over the years with his style, yet found new ways to tell stories and use his aesthetics in different settings. His latest movie is The French Dispatch, and it stars a host of talented actors he’s worked with before like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Tilda Swinton, along with some new faces to his movies, including Timothée Chalamet and Jeffrey Wright. Let’s see what film fans thought of the whimsical release. 

First of all, critics are loving The French Dispatch overall. It’s not a total surprise, seeing as how Wes Anderson movies have remained critically-acclaimed since the release of his first film in 1996, Bottle Rocket. From the reviews, it looks like the movie isn’t necessarily unexpected if you’re aware of the filmmaker’s style, but it also manages to stay endearing and fresh. Audiences also seemed to really dig The French Dispatch, considering what people are posting online about the release. Here’s what fans are saying about the artsy movie from The Grand Budapest Hotel director. 

It’s Another Winner For Timothée Chalamet Amidst Dune

The biggest movie in the world right now is Dune, which stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in a sci-fi epic. Funny enough, The French Dispatch first hit theaters on the same day as Dune in select theaters, before going wide to more audiences last weekend. It’s very rare for the same actor to double-head a movie theater’s offerings, but here we are! Audiences are of course taking notice of Chalamet’s big weekend. 

The actor is just 25 and becoming a worldwide star after previously finding roles in movies like Call Me By Your Name and Little Women. Apparently, he’s becoming a household name these days and people are taking notice as they see The French Dispatch: 

Timothée Chalamet is among a massive cast in The French Dispatch, also including Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand and Henry Winkler. Even so, it sounds like the young actor is a real highlight of the movie. 

It’s also a rare possibility for audiences to go see Dune and The French Dispatch in the same day or week. Let the Chala-week continue at the movies, because both films seem like real winners. 

The Visuals Are Blowing Audiences Away 

Wes Anderson is well known for his distinct visual style, notably often centering his subjects in his images and making use of specific color palettes in his movies. It turns out Anderson did not shy away from the kind of visually gorgeous films people remember him for in The French Dispatch, considering how much people are gushing over it, right down to the posters. 

The French Dispatch is a “love letter to journalists” and set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional French city. Another fan remarked on the visual style of the movie after checking it out, likening the filmmaker to a ‘cartoonist’ who works in live-action. 

Anderson is a rare filmmaker in that you can always tell you’re watching one of his movies, but at the same time, each one of them has a slightly different aesthetic. The French Dispatch makes use of more pastel colors like sky blue, blush pink and bright orange. Even someone who didn’t necessarily like the movie had to take a moment to share their love for the cinematography, as well: 

And there we have it, another Wes Anderson movie that is a feast for the eyes. 

Fans Really Got Into The French Of It All

What’s pretty adorable about the social posts for The French Dispatch is how many people looked to make a day or event out of going to see the movie. There are tons of pictures of people in front of the movie poster and taking other people along to go see it. The movie is also influencing people to buy into the movie’s very French fashion.  

Wes Anderson is clearly an influencer of his day and you know a movie is good when people are basing their own looks on a film after seeing it. The French Dispatch employed a ton of awesome fashion looks throughout, and it seems like fans are grabbing onto that. 

And, there’s just something about the French language and culture that is just so much fun to emulate and be a part of. The French Dispatch seems to be so immersive to some audiences that they are joking about learning French, too. 

Alright, we talked about the performances, the visuals and how it’s affecting audiences, but what about their thoughts on the movie overall? It looks like it’s winning over a ton of people by that measure, as well. 

The French Dispatch Is Another Beloved Wes Anderson Feature

The messages about the movie itself are just delightful. So many people are loving The French Dispatch, and it shows. It may not be a huge blockbuster, but it’s touching a lot of people. One fan shared his love for the script and performances, especially singling out Jeffrey Wright for his performance. 

Another devout fan of Wes Anderson called The French Dispatch one of Wes Anderson’s best movies to date. He also called it quite emotional and even referenced a quote in it that stuck with him. 

We’ll end on one last Twitter user, who absolutely “loved” the movie for so many reasons. These comments make me want to jump out of my seat and buy a ticket right now. It’s great to hear The French Dispatch is another success for Wes Anderson.

The French Dispatch is playing in theaters now. Check out CinemaBlend’s 2021 new movie release schedule to see what else is next for fans to react to. 

SPOILER WARNING: This article goes into all the details about The French Dispatch and its various stories. If you have yet to watch the new Wes Anderson movie, stop here, jump on a moped, and find the closest cinema.

Wes Anderson’s latest quirky and surprisingly poignant movie, The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, is finally out in theaters after what seems like years of trailers, teases, and rescheduled release dates. Centered on the staff of a fictionalized version of The New Yorker — played by Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Elisabeth Moss, and more stars than there are in the sky — as they put together one final issue, the movie features a trio of well-written, well-staged, and expertly-acted short films in the form of articles about different moments in the history in the French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé told through the eyes of three of the newspaper’s most talented writers. 

Below I will break down each of those three stories (as well as the overarching narrative thread that ties them all together), explore their meanings, and offer my own interpretations of The French Dispatch ending. As the film’s narrator says in the film’s opening, The French Dispatch is both a convoluted and practical ode to journalism and the modern world (or, at least, mid-Century France).

• Timothee Chalamet, Bill Murray And Other French Dispatch Stars, A Full Cast List

What Happens In The French Dispatch

The latest Wes Anderson movie, The French Dispatch, is split up into three main stories that are bookended by a prologue and epilogue, both of which take place on the day the newspaper’s esteemed founder and editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving his staff with the unenviable task of planning the final edition of the French bureau’s weekly magazine, carried by the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun. 

Over the course of the movie, these three stories — plus a travelogue from the paper’s bicycle-enthusiast reporter, Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson) — are told in a dazzling display of journalistic contradictions and musings from three writers who can’t help but make themselves part of their respective stories, no matter how much grief this brought to their late editor.

In the end, Arthur Howitzer Jr. dies, but his love for his writers, their quirks, and the mastery of the written word carries on as they see the final printing of the beloved paper and refund subscribers for future issues that will never go to print.

What The Concrete Masterpiece Says About Modern Art

The first story featured in The French Dispatch, “The Concrete Jungle,” follows writer J.K.L. Berensen (Tilda Swinton) as she recounts how Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio del Toro) went from a convicted murderer serving 50 years in a French prison, to one of the most prolific and mysterious painters in the art world after fellow prisoner, Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody), discovered his portrait of prison guard Simone (Léa Seydoux). 

Over the course of this 30-some-odd-minute short film, Rosenthaler is transformed from a grimacing and suicidal alcoholic inmate (14 bottles of mouthwash in a week) to something of a celebrity, thanks in part to Cadazio (and his uncles/business partners played by Henry Winkler and Bob Balban), who fails to understand the pain or meaning behind the modern art and instead just being on the forefront of something new.

As the short concludes, Cadazio organizes a showing of Rosenthaler’s latest, three-year project at the French prison. When Cadazio comes to the realization that his prized piece of art is stuck in the walls of the prison, he flips his lid, not because he doesn’t like the paintings, but because he believes he can never remove them and show them off to the world, which would prevent him from getting his glory. Following a riot, which results in numerous deaths and even more injuries, Cadazio decides to remove the wall itself and have it airlifted to a private museum, never truly understanding the meaning of art.

What Revisions To A Manifesto Says About Revolutionary Ideals And Idols

The second story featured in The French Dispatch, “Revisions to a Manifesto,” follows Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand), a writer obsessed with maintaining “journalistic neutrality” who never practices what she preaches, as she covers the “Chessboard Revolution,” a student protest that grew out of male students’ demands to be able to enter female dorms at their school. Through this, she meets the students’ de-facto leader, Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet), whose manifesto she begins to edit before largely rewriting large sections while also adding footnotes and an appendix.

As the protest, and the relationship shared by Lucinda Krementz and Zeffirelli, drags on and becomes more complicated, the lines begin to blur as to whom is leading the revolution: the young idealist, the reporter with a twisted yet benevolent idea of journalistic integrity, or Juliette (Lyna Khoudri), a fellow protester who challenges Zeffirelli in more ways than one. The irony of the situation is that the students are protesting adults and the rule, all while using a manifesto that was fleshed out by the protestors’ enemy. This exploration of revolutionary ideas and idols is made all the more cynical when Zeffirelli dies fixing the student’s pirate radio and becomes a symbol of the movement through t-shirts, posters, and other goods bought and sold by the masses.

What The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner Says About Being An Expatriate Living Abroad

The third and final story featured in The French Dispatch is “The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner” which sees writer Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) recall the night he was invited to have dinner with the Ennui Police Commissaire (Mathieu Amalric) prepared by the legendary police-chef Lt. Nescaffier (Stephen Park). This perfectly balanced short film features the kidnapping of the Commissaire’s son, a daring animated rescue sequence (like something out of a comic strip), and a near-fatal decision by the world-renowned chef to eat poisoned radishes he cooked for the boy’s captors, which gives him a new perspective.

But, the main focus of this story is the way in which ex-patriates live their lives in a foreign country. Roebuck Wright (who was largely influenced by acclaimed writer James Baldwin, who moved to Paris to escape America’s racism in the mid-20th Century) and Lt. Nescaffier are both living and working overseas in Ennui, a common bond that ties them together. At the end of the story, Arthur Howitzer Jr. tells Wright to include a quote from Nescaffier that he initially left out, regarding the unfamiliar and bittersweet taste of the poison (“seeking something missing, missing something left behind”). This argument could also be made for the other writers featured in the first two stories, but Wright’s connection with his subject here really drives the point home.

Why The Three Stories Selected For The Final Edition Of The French Dispatch Work So Well

In an interview with The New Yorker just before the release of The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson said the movie wasn’t so much of a love letter to journalism, but instead about journalists that he has loved and those who have meant something to him over the years. And, while Arthur Howitzer Jr. is technically based on two of the publication’s notable editors, Harold Ross and William Shawn, it’s easy to see Anderson himself in the grumpy and eccentric magazine editor who put together a handful of the best writers to share stories in which their “journalistic neutrality” fades away and they become part of the story.

In each of these stories, the writers almost completely lose track of what they were originally set to cover with their respective subjects and instead stumble upon something magical that offers them a new perspective on not only their craft, but also their lives. Each of three writers also perfectly sum up the quirkiness and distinct editorial style of magazines, one that’s somewhere between hard news and long-form prose. It’s brilliant, it’s captivating, and like Wes Anderson’s movies, it has its own, sometimes hard-to-explain style.

The French Dispatch is currently showing in theaters nationwide. We’re still a ways off from seeing Wes Anderson’s next feature film, Asteroid City, but there is still a whole slate of 2021 movie premiere dates to hold you over in the meantime. 

No one ever knows what to expect when a new Wes Anderson film is on the horizon. Sure, the style and the humor are pretty much a given, but exactly how the writer/director weaves such talents in a film like The French Dispatch is always a mystery. Part of that enigma has now been revealed through a scene involving a naked Timothée Chalamet sitting in a tub, which has been released for your viewing pleasure.

After what’s felt like an eternity of waiting for The French Dispatch to give us another peek behind the curtain, we've literally been given a scene where that exact scenario was made possible. Here we see Chalamet and co-star Frances McDormand working through a scene that’s purely a Wes Anderson scenario. Awkwardly damp comedy rules a moment that could be considered as the best possible way to present Wes Anderson’s work in the form of a clip.

As seen throughout his filmography, which contains memorable tales like Rushmore, The Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel, there’s a rhythm to the humor that is presented in what can initially seem like an awkward, stilted view of the world. Frances McDormand’s Lucinda Krementz and Timothée Chalamet’s Zeffirelli embody that very energy, but as the scene progresses, that Wes Anderson rhythm presents itself. What starts as embarrassment turns into a small, but lighthearted back and forth about typos and the contents of Zeffirelli's manifesto.

As you can tell, it’s hard to “clip” from a movie like The French Dispatch, as well as from Wes Anderson’s filmography in general. So having a moment like this to show those of the viewing public who need a little more selling is a pretty fantastic coup. Though it probably also helps that The French Dispatch has also just had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which is something that will also raise some eyebrows based on reactions and reports of a standing ovation coming from that event.

Several stories are part of The French Dispatch’s overall tapestry of humanity in all of its comedic and bittersweet glory. And we’re only seeing a portion of the madness that the film’s trailer promised audiences early last year; so even this is just the tip of the iceberg. Rewatching that first trailer, in light of seeing Timothée Chalamet’s awkwardly nude encounter with Frances McDormand, only hammers that home a little more. Which should make fans eagerly awaiting The French Dispatch’s arrival both happy they got another taste, but impatient to devour the entire confection.

Hot off the presses at last, The French Dispatch will be distributed to movie theaters far and wide on October 22. Though you can read all about the other movies headed your way in the coming year, through the 2021 release schedule, should you not be a Wes Anderson fan. And don’t forget to read ahead with 2022’s release schedule, as it's never too soon to start planning a proper night at the movies.

In recent years, Gwyneth Paltrow has made her love-hate relationship with her acting career known since shifting her focus to her lifestyle brand Goop. The actress has bluntly said that she’ll “literally never” be the star of another movie again due to the burnout she felt following her success in the early ‘00s. Though, the Marvel actress did recently show some love toward one of her films for its big anniversary.

Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t like to watch her acting work – hence her infamous confusion about having a role in Spider-Man: Homecoming. But during a Tribeca Film Festival virtual panel, she shared her fondness for 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, and she has a sweet reason why she sets it apart from her other work:

The scene Gwyneth Paltrow is referring to (via USA Today) is when her character, Margot, steps off the Green Line bus and reunites with Luke Wilson’s Richie as “Three Days” by Nico plays in the background. It’s a slow motion sequence that ends with the characters embracing. While speaking on a panel with the cast and filmmaker Wes Anderson for the film's 20th anniversary, the Iron Man star shared that the scene holds a close place in her heart.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s father, Bruce Paltrow, was a TV and movie director and producer, and visited the set of The Royal Tenenbaums on the day they shot the scene. Therefore, it has had special meaning to the 48-year-old actress following his death in 2002. It was likely one of Paltrow’s last career moments she got to share with her late father.

Bruce Paltrow died at the age of 58 while vacationing in Rome, Italy to celebrate Gwyneth’s 30th birthday. He had oral cancer for a number of years before his death, and losing a parent anytime, especially just as one enters their thirties, certainly would make one hold on to whatever small moment one can.

Gwyneth Paltrow was dating Chris Martin of Coldplay at the time, and his popular song “Fix You” is reportedly about her grief following her father’s death. All things considered, The Royal Tenenbaums is a great pick from Paltrow if she’s only going to choose one performance to go back to. The movie was one of Wes Anderson’s early movies, but still one of his most beloved.

The movie co-written and co-produced by Owen Wilson tells the quirky story of a family who end up living under the same roof. It also stars Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman. The filmmaker is set to bring his style back to theaters with The French Dispatch's release on October 22. Check out CinemaBlend’s list of upcoming 2021 movies in the meantime.

It might not be hot off the presses, but you'll finally get to see Wes Anderson's long-awaited new movie, The French Dispatch, in a theater near you soon. The 10th feature film from The Grand Budapest Hotel writer-director will feature a huge ensemble of familiar famous faces, including several Anderson regulars and a few newcomers to the director's filmography like Timothee Chalamet and Elisabeth Moss, along with a multi-narrative that continues to broaden the distinctive director's ever-expanding signature style. It's only a matter of months before it screens in cinemas worldwide.

In anticipation of this latest Wes Anderson feature, here's what we know (at least, so far) about October's long-delayed, star-studded European farce, The French Dispatch.

The French Dispatch Is The 10th Feature Film From Wes Anderson

At 52 years young, Wes Anderson is entering the double digits. The distinctive director made his 10th feature film with The French Dispatch, i.e. The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, which will serve as his follow-up to 2018's stop-motion animated Isle of Dogs. Similar to how Moonrise Kingdom followed Fantastic Mr. Fox, this new movie will return Anderson to live-action mode, though this story — which will contain three separate narratives — is expected to be one of his most adventurous movies yet. We'll have to wait to see how this newest film compares to his previous triumphs, which also includes Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The Newest Wes Anderson Film Will Arrive On October 22, 2021, Following Its Cannes Premiere

It hasn't been an easy road for Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, but the destination is near! Following copious delays (as we'll discuss in a bit), the multi-narrative dramedy will screen in theaters nationwide on October 22nd. Prior to that, however, the movie will make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which has housed several Anderson movies over the years. Additionally, the movie will also be screened at the New York Film Festival before its theatrical rollout. It's been a long, long wait, but Wes Anderson fans can rejoice! It's just a few more months before his new movie is here.

The French Dispatch Tells A Series Of Stories From The Final Issue Of An American Magazine Published In A Fictional 20th Century French City

Throughout production, The French Dispatch kept its cards close to its deck. Or, rather, its magazine close to its stand. Whatever metaphor you wish to use. So much so that misinformation started to spread (as we'll discuss in a little bit). But now that we're closer to the movie's long-anticipated release, we have a better idea of what we can expect from Anderson's latest film. More specifically, The French Dispatch tells a series of disparate stories from the last issue of an American-based magazine — one that's published in a fictional 20th-century French city. From there, we'll follow a variety of French narratives from these bittersweet pages. Yep, that definitely sounds like a Wes Anderson movie! Here's hoping the film plays to the filmmaker's well-proven success.

The French Dispatch Cast Includes Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Elisabeth Moss, And Many More Famous Faces

You can always count on Wes Anderson to return to his regular roaster of familiar famous faces. For instance, it's very rare for a Wes Anderson movie to not feature the established acting talents of Bill Murray and Owen Wilson, and The French Dispatch is no exception. Likewise, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, and Anjelica Huston will once again reunite with the acclaimed auteur. Additionally, this star-studded cast will include the celebrated A-list acting talents of Benicio Del Toro, Timothee Chalamet, Jeffrey Wright, and Elisabeth Moss. Also rounding out the top-tier ensemble are Lyna Khoudri, Matthieu Amalric, and a few more surprises. Wes Anderson knows how to bring out a cavalcade of celebrities; this movie is certainly no exception!

The Movie Is Inspired By Wes Anderson’s Love Of The New Yorker

Even when he's based in Europe, Wes Anderson takes many cues from his western influences. More specifically, The French Dispatch was shaped — in no small part — from the writer/director's love of The New Yorker. The long-revered publication has influenced literature in several different ways, and this new Anderson movie should respect its celebrated character. Certainly, Anderson's career owes several debts to the real-life magazine, as The New Yorker reported (go figure), but this movie will serve as his reverent tribute. Given his eccentric mixes of tones and styles, it's not surprising to know that the storyteller sought inspiration from the generation-spanning magazine.

The French Dispatch Has Faced Several Delays Due To COVID-19 Pandemic

Like many movies that were supposed to come out during the past hellish year, The French Dispatch was weathered its fair share of hurdles on its way to the silver screen. Originally slated to arrive on July 24, 2020 following its May 12, 2020 premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Wes Anderson's movie was pulled from the calendar and faced several delays prior to its current release date. Hopefully, the wait was worth it!

Despite Past Reports, The Movie Is Not A Musical (Unfortunately)

When The French Dispatch was first announced, there were rumblings that it would be Wes Anderson's first foray into the musical world. Alas, it wasn't long thereafter that these rumors were disproven. During the filmmaking process, producer Jeremy Dawson shot down reports claiming that this movie would be Anderson's first full-out musical, one that was set in '50s France. Even though outlets reported that Mark Mothersbaugh was writing original songs for this period piece, Dawson noted that the upcoming film was "set in France at different times" but it wasn't a musical. Rather, it would be a "story about writers, with connections to Kansas, USA."

*The French Dispatch Has Over 125 Sets *

Though Wes Anderson often works on a modest budget (by Hollywood standards, at least), particularly with the $25 million price tag associated with this newest movie, The French Dispatch isn't lacking in scope, scale, or vision. Indeed, The French Dispatch tells a broad-reaching interconnected interlope of stories, which require a lot of unique characters bouncing between a variety of French-based backdrops. That must cause so many headaches — even for a seasoned filmmaker like Anderson. 

Indeed, according to Indiewire, The French Dispatch will feature over 125 different sets, which is incredibly daunting to wrap your head around, especially when you're seated in the director's chair. Alas, there's the reason why Anderson is as revered as he is! Additionally, The French Dispatch marks a first for the long-respected filmmaker; it'll be the first Anderson movie to feature black-and-white photography.

Wes Anderson Is Reportedly Already Working On His Follow-Up Film

On average, we can expect a new Wes Anderson movie every three years. That was the waiting period between Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom — to only name a handful of Anderson movies. Ironically, despite its COVID-related year-long delay, The French Dispatch will follow suit, arriving around three years after 2018's Isle of Dogs — though we might not need to wait too long for Anderson's 11th feature film.

According to The Film Stage, Wes Anderson will start working on his latest film soon — if cameras aren't rolling already. The reported movie will reportedly shoot in Rome, and it's expected to be a romance with a mix of live-action and stop-motion animation. Details regarding this ode to Italian cinema remain limited, and it's hard to know if the project is still expected to start filming later this year. But this mysterious film sounds like a wonderful fusion of Anderson's idiosyncratic influences and sharp sensibilities.

The French Dispatch ships into theaters on October 22, 2021.

What comes to mind when you think of a Wes Anderson film? If you said pastels, a twinkly musical score and one hell of a cast, then you’re absolutely correct in your beliefs. Should anyone question your Anderson acumen, then you have plenty of evidence to provide to back up your valid hypothesis, especially when the trailer for The French Dispatch features such stars as Timothee Chalamet and Bill Murray in its full cast list.

As luck would have it, we have that cast list provided below, which shows off the pretty extensive lineup that Anderson has assembled for The French Dispatch.

Before we dive into a deeper breakdown of the cast, it’s particularly notable that we have a classic Wes Anderson narrator at large in The French Dispatch. Anjelica Huston, a long time Anderson player, is the omniscient voice that will bring the entire package to live. And here are the players she’ll be commentating on throughout the film:

The Staff Of The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

Bill Murray

One of the many veterans of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company is none other than comedy legend Bill Murray! In their latest collaboration, Murray will be playing the role of Arthur Howitzer Jr, the editor of The French Dispatch that ties the universe together. So basically, Murray is almost playing the exact same role he provides to the world at large.

Owen Wilson

Also rejoining the ranks of Wes Anderson’s frequent flyer club is Owen Wilson, someone who’s been in almost all of the director’s films. Herbsaint Sazerac is Wilson’s new character, a writer on staff at The French Dispatch who can be counted on for witty conversation and bicycle repair prowess, as well as sterling copy.

Jason Schwartzman

How could a Wes Anderson movie not have Jason Schwartzman attached, even in the slightest capacity? Another longtime friend and employee in the Anderson orbit, Schwartzman’s Hermes Jones looks to be the cover artist for The French Dispatch. Here’s hoping his quips are as crazy as his hair.

Elisabeth Moss

Rounding out the staff members of The French Dispatch who are displayed outside of individual vignettes is Elisabeth Moss, a newcomer to the wild and crazy world of Wes Anderson’s work. We don’t know her character's name yet, but it looks like Moss’ dry and wry sensibilities from Mad Men will make this follow-up to her work on The Invisible Man a nice change of comedic pace.

We’ll now move onto the three stories that The French Dispatch tells at the heart of its very last issue in print. With each story is a journalist from the staff at its heart, recalling events from various time periods and moments of turmoil in this film’s thematic structure.

Story 1: The Concrete Masterpiece, By J.K.L. Bernesen

Tilda Swinton

Providing the lecture that details the story within “The Concrete Masterpiece” is The French Dispatch’s journalist J.K.L. Bernesen. Artistically inclined, and ever fashionable, Berensen is brought to life by the impeccable Tilda Swinton. Her track record in the Wes Anderson Repertory Company stretches back to 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, and has endured ever since.

Benicio Del Toro

Another first timer comes to the fold in The French Dispatch, as Moses Rosenthaler, the artist at the heart of “The Concrete Masterpiece” is played by Benicio Del Toro. Just watching his banter with co-star Adrian Brody is enough to convince even the most casual observer that Del Toro clearly belongs in this motley crew of acting talent.

Lea Seydoux

The muse for Rosenthaler’s work, and subject of a painting that’s of particular importance to The French Dispatch, is the alluring and mysterious Simone. Seen as both muse and prison guard, this part is played by Spectre’s Léa Seydoux. No stranger to Wes Anderson’s work, Seydoux previously worked with the director on 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Adrien Brody

Seeking to purchase Moses Rosenthaler’s un-buyable “Simone, Naked, Cell Block J, Hobby Room (oil on sackcloth)” is the persistent art dealer, Julien Cadazio. As previously mentioned, this bickersome character is played by Adrien Brody, best known for his roles in Anderson’s previous films The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Bob Balaban and Henry Winkler

In order to aid his art savvy empire, Julien Cadazio has the help of two ‘business-partner uncles’ at his disposal in The French Dispatch. Playing one of those two uncles is comedic stalwart Bob Balaban, who, much like Tilda Swinton, has been an Anderson disciple since Moonrise Kingdom. The other Cadazio uncle is the big surprise though, as the legendary Henry Winkler is playing him, making his debut in the Wes Anderson three ring circus!

Story 2: Revisions To A Manifesto, By Lucinda Krementz

Frances McDormand

Story 2 of The French Dispatch, Lucinda Krementz’s “Revisions To A Manifesto,” focuses on two crazy kids who happen to be in love during a tumultuous student revolution. The journalist telling this story is played by Frances McDormand, last heard bringing the news to the Wes Anderson created world of Isle of Dogs.

Timothee Chalamet

It was only a matter of time before Timothee Chalamet and Wes Anderson crossed paths. Nature basically dictated it, and it’s only fair that Chalamet be the one to play Zeffirelli, a revolutionary student in The French Dispatch. Looking like a prodigious chess player to boot, this young man could put that knowledge to political usage as well.

Lyna Khoudri

Making her major motion picture debut with The French Dispatch is actor Lyna Khoudri. Playing Juliette, the girlfriend to Timothee Chalamet’s Zeffirelli, their pairing was destined based on their character names. With a motor scooter and a bad attitude, her fire matches that of her fellow activist and boyfriend.

Story 3: The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright

Jeffrey Wright

Our final story in The French Dispatch's catalog of whimsy is entitled "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright." Wright, played by Westworld and No Time To Die actor Jeffrey Wright, is the resident food journalist at the film's titular magazine. Reporting on something called "Police Cuisine," he becomes embroiled in a story that looks like it leads to a hostage standoff, and a lot of symmetrical gunfire.

Liev Schreiber

Part of Roebuck Wright's story looks to be told through his appearance on a TV show of some sort. Cast as the presenter of that show is Isle Of Dogs voice actor Liev Schreiber, making this his second Wes Anderson film. We don't know his character's name yet, but The French Dispatch looks like it's going to make the most of pairing Schreiber with Jeffrey Wright.

Willem Dafoe

While not all of the star studded cast members of The French Dispatch may play larger than life characters, it's nice to see Wes Anderson continue to reward previous collaborators with spots in the lineup. Willem Dafoe is one such fixture in this cast, as his prisoner character doesn't have a name yet, and is only seen briefly in the film's trailer. A sporadic presence in Anderson's universe, Dafoe was most notably present in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou, but also in the casts for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Mathieu Amalric

Cast as "a policeman with a kidnapped son,” Mathieu Amalric won't just be enjoying food alongside Jeffrey Wright's Roebuck Wright. As this third story centers around said kidnapping, Amalric's policeman will undoubtedly be excusing himself from dinner a little earlier than expected. This marks the actor's second Wes Anderson film, as The Grand Budapest Hotel was Mathiew Amalric's appearance in an Anderson picture.

Edward Norton

The voice on the other end of that phone Mathieu Amalric is holding was quite recognizable upon the first viewing of The French Dispatch's trailer. Edward Norton has one of those distinct vocal ranges that automatically pegs him in any film he shows up in, and as the kidnapper behind the insidious plot of "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright," he's even easy to spot in a group of dissidents firing at will upon authorities. And before you ask, yes, Norton is another cast member that's been a part of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company since Moonrise Kingdom.

Saoirse Ronan

Rounding out the cast of characters partaking in the kidnapping of a policeman's son is a rather mysterious woman. So mysterious, we don't know her character's name. However, we do know that she's played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, who was previously spotted in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. With The French Dispatch, Ronan looks to be playing against type, as a figure on the side of evil.

Stephen Park

Last, but not least is Stephen Park's Lieutenant Nescafier, the chef behind the gorgeous meal that "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright" looks to be serving. But Park's character also happens to be listed as solving a kidnapping in The French Dispatch. Which is pretty handy, considering how fast things shift from a table of smiling guests gushing over cuisine to exchanging bullets and phone calls.

The French Dispatch has a huge cast, three stories and a boatload of ambition to potentially become the next, best Wes Anderson film. We'll see if it pays off when the film opens in theaters on July 25. Though should that release date be delayed, due to the ever shifting release calendar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll report such an update as it occurs.

Wes Anderson spent decades developing a signature style. It’s easy to recognize his movies by their color schemes, costumes, and tone. His collection of movies are all artistically astounding and narratively fascinating, and the best Anderson movies have just as much substance as style, while a lot of them also have a whimsical nature, especially when it comes to the purity of love and the joy and heartbreak of life. 

These films touch the heart and excite the eyes and mind. They’re truly artistic in a way so synonymous with the filmmaker, because everyone connects with his films in a different way. His best movies are subjective, but I ranked these based on their style, story, and general ability to incite delight. 

Let’s look at the best Wes Anderson movies. 

11. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody play estranged brothers who reunite on The Darjeeling Limited train. Their father died about a year ago but his baggage and belongings remain with them. Secretly, Francis (Owen Wilson) plots to force a reunion between them and their mother (Anjelica Huston).

The Darjeeling Limited deals with a grieving family who can’t let the past go. The movie contains most of Anderson’s trademark themes, cinematography, and cast. It’s entertaining, imaginative, and beautifully designed, as expected from a Wes Anderson movie, but it just doesn’t have the same inventive, dreamlike quality as some of his other films. 

Rent or buy The Darjeeling Limited on Amazon. 

10. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

Bill Murray plays Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The film gives tribute to French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau while also respectfully parodying him. It features an all-star cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Owen Wilson, and Jeff Goldblum, and Anderson co-wrote this one with Noah Baumbach. Steve Zissou plans to document his hunt for a jaguar shark that ate his friend, and the crew along for Zissou’s journey includes a man claiming to be his son, Ned (Owen Wilson), and a pregnant reporter, Jane (Cate Blanchett).

Often, the director blurs the line between fable and reality, and this movie fits right into that fantastic realm. It’s outlandish, fun, and bizarre—which is kind of expected with a movie about an oceanographer and his crew. The only issue I have with it is that it doesn’t pack a big emotional punch like some of Anderson’s other films. 

Rent or buy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou on Amazon. 

9. Isle Of Dogs (2018)

Isle of Dogs is a stop motion animated film featuring an amazing cast that includes the voices of Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, and Greta Gerwig, with Courtney B. Vance acting as the narrator. In a futuristic Japan, Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) and his followers have had a long hatred for dogs. Therefore, when a canine disease infects the animals, he jumps at the opportunity to isolate them on a trash-filled island. 

The first one sent there is Spot (Liev Schreiber), the dog of Kobayashi’s ward and nephew Atari (Koyu Rankin). Six months later, Atari hijacks a plane and goes to this trash island, now called Isle of Dogs, to find Spot. He’s joined on his search by Chief (Bryan Cranston), Rex (Edward Norton), and their crew.

This is Anderson’s second animated production; his first was Fantastic Mr. Fox. He and his crew create an insanely inventive world, both through visuals and storytelling, and this even comes across beautifully in the trailer. Cranston’s ability to add an edge with his voice made him the perfect choice for a tough, stray dog. Isle of Dog is wonderful, and it might have ranked higher on the list if it had a more exciting resolution. Everything got resolved a little too quickly, without much build up or explanation. 

Rent or buy Isle of Dog on Amazon. 

8. Bottle Rocket (1996)

Bottle Rocket is Anderson’s first feature film, based on his short film of the same name, which started his long partnership with Owen and Luke Wilson. Anthony (Luke Wilson) has just checked himself out of a voluntary mental hospital, and his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson) wants them to go on a crime spree. However, they don’t know much about being real criminals.

This is his first film, so of course it’s far from perfect. However, it highlights his film evolution, especially in terms of his visual and writing style. Bottle Rocket very much has some signature Anderson elements, but in a different package from his current aesthetic, and without a Bill Murray cameo. 

Rent or buy Bottle Rocket on Amazon. 

7. The French Dispatch (2021)

The French Dispatch is a collection of short articles that appear in the magazine of the same name. The film has another fantastic cast, which includes Timothée Chalamet, Bill Murray, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Benicio Del Toro, and Jeffrey Wright. 

Each of the magazine’s stories discuss some topic important to the issue’s subject, but they also reveal the writers’ hearts and souls. This film says a lot about its subject matter and some of it’s very profound, such as a story's ability to transform not only the readers but the writers. Whereas many of Anderson’s movies have a universal appeal, The French Dispatch feels very specific to a certain type of film audience. This isn’t necessarily a fault of the film, but it may cause a disconnect between a general audience and the movie. 

6. Asteroid City (2023)

Asteroid City tells two stories: the one within the play shown in the film, and one about the making of the play. It’s another Anderson film distinct to his aesthetic, and features some of his films’ common themes, such as loss, first love, loneliness, creation, and young geniuses. The movie includes many of his regular collaborators--Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, and Willem Dafoe. The film also has new actresses and actors to his movies, including Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, and Tom Hanks.

This is a playful film that’s not afraid of some fun, but outlandish, twists. It’s unique and features some of the best acting in one of his movies. Schwartzman may be at his best here. The costumes and cinematography are beautiful with this clear style.  There’s a lot to admire,  but it’s just not as emotionally riveting and entertaining as some of his other films. 

Rent or buy Asteroid City on Amazon.

5. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

In The Royal Tenenbaums, Richie (Luke Wilson), Chas (Ben Stiller), and Margot (Gwyneth Patrow) are genius siblings raised by equally extraordinary parents, Royal (Gene Hackman) and Etheline (Anjelica Huston). Royal has created disdain and distance between him, his children, and his ex-wife through being a generally bad father and husband. After Royal learns that Etheline plans to remarry her accountant, Henry (Danny Glover), he hatches a plan to get back in her and the children’s lives.

This tale includes Anderson’s usual collaborators: Anjelica Huston, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Billy Murray, and more, but with the added star power of Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and Gene Hackman. The new blood takes his usual dysfunctional family, whimsicalness, cinematography, and colorful costumes to the next level. It’s a superbly written and acted movie. 

Rent or buy The Royal Tenenbaum on Amazon. 

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel involves the adventures of concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), bellhop Zero (Tony Revolori), Zero’s girlfriend Agatha (Saoirse Ronan), and an inherited painting. Throughout their adventures, the three try to escape one of M. Gustavo’s dead former lover’s family, controlled by Dmitri (Adrien Brody) and hired assassin Jopling (Willem Dafoe).

Fiennes is the perfect choice for the quick witted, charming, and bit of an opportunist M. Gustavo. Revolori is equally delightful as his sidekick and protégé, and Saoirse Ronan adds her natural talent for playing brave and resourceful women. Wes Anderson and team clearly had a lot of fun making The Grand Budapest Hotel, and it comes across in the humor and tone of this film. It’s also one of his most successful movies.

Rent or buy The Grand Budapest Hotel on Amazon Prime.

3. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stop-motion animation movie with voice work by George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Willem Dafoe. Mr. Fox ( Clooney) makes a vow to his wife ( Streep) that, to ensure a safe life for them and their child, he will stop stealing from humans. Twelve fox years later, he has been living a reformed life but he’s unhappy. The temptations of going back to his wild fox ways are too much to deny.

Clooney’s smooth voice adds the perfect slyness to Mr. Fox. Anderson and crew excel in giving their own spin to Roald Dahl’s classic, and the film feels authentic to the director, but with the unique addition of stop-motion animation. The animated details are fascinating to watch; made only better by the enjoyable adventures of Mr. Fox, his family and friends. 

Rent or buy Fantastic Mr. Fox on Amazon. 

2. Rushmore (1998)

Jason Schwartzman made his film debut in Rushmore. Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson co-wrote this film, and it marked the first collaboration between Anderson and Bill Murray. In it, Max (Schwartzman) is an eccentric teen who participates in many extracurricular activities, instead of actually working on his grades, and forms a tight bond and friendship with multimillionaire Herman Blume (Murray). Eventually, both of them fall for elementary school teacher Rosemary (Olivia Williams). Herman begins secretly dating her, and when Max finds out, the two engage in petty revenge battles.

Rushmore is by far Anderson’s funniest film. It is hilarious to watch Max and Herman go head-to-head in very extreme, very funny ways. The whole dynamic between them is comical, but also endearing, because it’s clear why these two have bonded and value their relationship. This is Anderson’s second film, and it does a great job of introducing the world to his distinct voice, which gets stronger with each movie. 

Rent or buy Rushmore on Amazon.

1. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Moonrise Kingdom follows children Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) as they run away together. Meanwhile, the adults are in hot pursuit as they deal with their own love stories that are falling apart. The cast includes Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand.

All the filmmaker’s films have a whimsical quality to them, and there isn’t anything much more whimsical than running away with the person you love. Gilman and Hayward bring a maturity to Sam and Suzy that makes their romance and love story feel just as compelling as any on-screen romance. Moonrise Kingdom is Wes Anderson at his best: a bit wacky, surreal, bold, witty, and aesthetically pleasing. 

Rent or buy Moonrise Kingdom on Amazon. 

It’s not easy picking one Wes Anderson movie that you believe is the best, because they’re all unique and represent a different strength of the filmmaker. However, each one of the top five films on this list showcases his distinct style, masterful storytelling, and a sense of wonder, even through melancholy. They all encompass many of Anderson’s best qualities as a filmmaker. 

Every trailer for a Wes Anderson movie feels like opening a surprise gift from an old friend. You never know what’s inside beforehand, and there’s usually a lot of anticipation before tearing the packaging and untying the bows. The first look at his latest film, The French Dispatch, is no exception, as it’s just as wild and exciting as you’d hope, and with some new tricks on display in the world of Andersonian chaos.

Brace yourself, and take a look below.

The overall framing device of the film fully titled The French Dispatch of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun is a special issue of that very publication. Focusing on three of their best stories in the past decade, the staff of The French Dispatch work tirelessly to put together these different but complimentary stories of uprising, high art, and cuisine into an easy to sell package.

Right from the start, The French Dispatch feels like a Wes Anderson film. From the presence of recurring cast members like Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Adrian Brody, and, of course, Bill Murray, the patter that’s shown on screen is just as comforting as knowing that these folks are on the screen once again.

But the new and exciting angles that present themselves in The French Dispatch are quite exciting as well. With what looks like an anthology approach to the storytelling, these three stories are invoking different designs, aspect ratios, and tales of various disciplines. Which is also a great opportunity to bring new actors into the Wes Anderson fold.

Through stories titled “The Concrete Masterpiece,” “Revisions to a Manifesto,” and “The Private Dining Hall of the Police Commissioner,” we’ll see Elizabeth Moss, Léa Seydoux, Benicio del Toro, Jeffrey Wright, and Timothée Chalamet mix it up with the Wes Anderson Repertory Company, which also includes the returns of Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and Jason Schwartzman.

All that’s missing is an appearance by Jeff Goldblum, and while his name and likeness aren’t specifically invoked in this trailer, it’s hard to think he wouldn’t be present in some capacity for the comic madness of The French Dispatch.

The greatest impression this trailer leaves is the fact that Wes Anderson is still in an experimental mood, in terms of his visual output. Much like The Grand Budapest Hotel, there’s a hint of aspect ratios being played with, and a transition between color and black and white footage that makes The French Dispatch look as playful and chaotic as it sounds.

Since those are two things Anderson does really well, it looks like this new film is going to be a crowd pleasing return to form, as well as a good opportunity to bring those unfamiliar with his particular charms to the table. Though seeing as this film is somehow being released in the middle of blockbuster season, with Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and the Sony/Marvel film Morbius all surrounding it, consider us curious as to how that whimsy will play in the midst of such high budget traffic.

The French Dispatch of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun goes to print on July 24, 2020, as this film is clearly not afraid of any ghosts. But if you thought July was busy, wait until you see the rest of the calendar, thanks to our 2020 release schedule. No one’s playing around on the film market this year, and it shows.

The frame is centered and the picture has a vintage tinge – it must be time for another Wes Anderson film! Whispers of the quirky, Oscar-nominated director’s next project have been floating around, and now some official details have now been revealed. Anderson’s next film will be called The French Dispatch and feature an impressive cast of actors – including frequent collaborators Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Tilda Swinton.

The French Dispatch will be a love letter to journalists and be set in a fictional French city at an American newspaper outpost. The collection of stories published in the titular “French Dispatch” magazine will be brought to life through Wes Anderson’s vision. Fox Searchlight officially announced its acquired rights, along with a 2020 release date.

Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand, Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Léa Seydoux and Timothée Chalamet have each been cast in roles in The French Dispatch. Additionally, French actors Mathieu Amalric (also in Grand Budapest Hotel) and Lyna Khoudri have joined, along with newcomer Stephen Park.

The movie is currently in production and will follow Wes Anderson’s second stop-motion film, Isle of Dogs, released in 2018. Fans of the filmmaker will be excited to hear Bill Murray will continue his streak and once again grace an Anderson film. It’s also no surprise Tilda Swinton and Owen Wilson are amongst the cast. The latter started out as his writing partner and star in his first movie, Bottle Rocket, and has appeared in many of Anderson's movies since then.

The upcoming release certainly marks tons of talented actors in first-time roles with the established filmmaker as well. Benicio Del Toro has yet to work with Wes Anderson between his work Paul Thomas Anderson, Denis Villenueve and so forth. It should be fun to see how Del Toro translates into Anderson’s aesthetic along with The Goldfinch’s Jeffrey Wright and 23-year-old Timothée Chalamet, who will soon be seen in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and Villenueve’s Dune.

Fans of the filmmaker certainly can expect a certain tone and whimsy going into a Wes Anderson flick. The writer/director is an expert at bringing together ensemble casts and giving them sharp dialogue to work with. The French Dispatch looks like no exception.

The movie will be produced by Wes Anderson, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, a team who previously worked on Isle of Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Darjeeling Limited.

Other big names such as Saoirse Ronan, Elisabeth Moss, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman and Willem Dafoe have been attached to the cast, but are not among those who have been confirmed by Fox Searchlight.

The studio behind The French Dispatch has an Anderson-esque release coming soon in the form of Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, which is getting Oscar buzz ahead of its release on October 18.

As it turns out, The Rock + Large-Scale Chaos + Towering CGI Creatures = Box Office Success! Over the weekend, Brad Peyton's Rampage squeaked out a box office win over John Krasinski's terrifying A Quiet Place, becoming the number 1 movie in the U.S. and around the globe. So it thrills us to report that, as part of his victory lap, Peyton hopped on the ReelBlend podcast as a very special guest to discuss shooting Rampage, collaborating with The Rock on their third action adventure, advancing the art of motion-capture, and much more. We are so happy to have Brad Peyton on ReelBlend this week, so give it a listen above.

In addition to our exclusive sit down with Peyton, ReelBlend co-hosts Kevin McCarthy, Jake Hamilton and Sean O'Connell are gearing up for the debut of Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War, which will hit theaters on April 27. Kevin is on his way out to the junket in L.A., and Sean and Jake are seeing it early next week. So this is the final episode that they can record before seeing the movie for themselves. Knowing that, they decided to pick three Marvel Rumors that they think actually WILL happen in Infinity War. Give a listen, then tell us in the comments if you agree or disagree.

Kevin also wanted to dig back into A Quiet Place, the horror thriller that keeps packing audience members into theaters. He didn't like it as much as Jake and Sean did, but we never had the opportunity to discuss the things that bothered him about Krasinski's direction. We take care of that in this week's episode.

And finally, our game! This week was dedicated to the films of Wes Anderson, and in a rare feat, #WesBlend produced three different answers from the boys. AND, the people playing at home via social media had a different pick, as well. Four different Wes Anderson movies! Listen and see which ones we chose for #WesBlend.

ReelBlend is a LIVE podcast that we do on CinemaBlend's Facebook page. As soon as we are done on Facebook, you can download the latest episode (and all of our past episodes) for FREE on our iTunes page! Visit. Subscribe. Like and comment. Review! Apple loves when you have star ratings and reviews, so if you listened, and you liked it (or even if you didn't), let us know. We also are on Spotify. And Google Play. And basically everywhere that you download podcasts. So download us!

Meanwhile, follow the guys on Social Media! We have an official Twitter feed for the show, so follow @ReelBlend. In addition, follow the guys at @Sean_OConnell, @JakesTakesand @KevinMcCarthyTV. We will be back at it next week, LIVE on CinemaBlend's Facebook page. See you then!

Bill Murray first started working with Wes Anderson on the filmmaker's second directorial effort, 1998's Rushmore, and they have been inseparable ever since. Their long-time collaboration includes eight features -- including the upcoming Isle of Dogs -- and in that span Murray has had the opportunity to really watch Anderson evolve as a filmmaker. Reflecting on that idea, the actor recently explained what it was like working with back at the start and how it's different now:

Last month I flew out to Berlin, Germany for a special Isle of Dogs press event for the film's world premiere, and it was while participating in roundtable interview with co-star Bob Balaban that Bill Murray took a look back at his earliest days collaborating with Wes Anderson. Recognizing the 20 year history between the two men, I asked Murray how Anderson is a different filmmaker than he was back in 1998, and he told me the story.

In the way that Bill Murray told the story, you could tell that the experience making both Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums resulted in him gaining a lot of respect for Wes Anderson -- which goes a long way in explaining why he's always game to reunite with him on any project that he's doing. Continuing, Murray not only expressed admiration, but also deep appreciation for the fact that Anderson eventually teamed up with Steve Rales -- a producer who has been a part of all of the writer/director's films since 2007's The Darjeeling Limited. Said Murray,

That reach is plainly evident in Wes Anderson's latest, Isle of Dogs. Stop-motion animated films are incredibly rare nowadays, and yet he found a way to make it just as rich and incredible an experience as all of his other films. As I express in my review, it's so much of what you love about him as a director, and also introduces plenty of new and fresh ideas.

You'll be able to catch Isle of Dogs in theaters for yourself very soon, as the movie will be arriving in theaters this Friday.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is an incredibly important work within the history of Bill Murray working with writer/director Wes Anderson. The actor has worked on every single one of the filmmaker's movies going back to his second, Rushmore, but Life Aquatic is the only one that features Murray as the principal lead. The two men surely share a lot of stories about the making of the film, but it might not surprise you to learn that Murray also kept a little memento. Specifically, he still has the Steve Zissou skintight swimsuit. He recently told us,

It's not uncommon to hear about actors taking home costumes from sets (Ryan Reynolds took a full Deadpool costume, for example), but this is definitely one of the weirder examples of that practice. Paired with co-star Bob Balaban, Bill Murray participated in a roundtable interview in Berlin, Germany last month following the premiere of Isle of Dogs, and it was during this conversation that Murray revealed the story of his pilfered swimsuit. One reporter specifically asked the two actors if there were any costumes that they were tempted to take home... but the speedo tale was unexpected in the moment.

In retrospect, however, this is a wonderfully perfect example of a Bill Murray story. The man has a long reputation for being a laid back guy who takes pleasure in life where he can, and this story perfectly fits within that idea. He wore a comfortable swimsuit on the set of The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou; enjoyed the feel of it; and ultimately decided that he wanted to take it home. It's unclear if he took it with permission or not, but does it really matter?

Funny enough, the not-a-Speedo isn't the only piece of costuming that Bill Murray took from that particular set. Another reporter followed up the story by asking if he still had any of the red caps that Steve Zissou wears in The Life Aquatic, and apparently he has several. Said Murray,

Thanks to this story, you can now personally imagine Bill Murray lounging around his house wearing his Life Aquatic swimsuit... but if you're more interested in seeing a new Murray/Wes Anderson collaboration, you're in luck! Isle of Dogs arrives in theaters this Friday, and we highly recommend sticking around here on CinemaBlend for more from our interviews with the cast.

Wes Anderson is one of those filmmakers whose work is difficult to adequately describe. Now, the team behind Honest Trailers tries, by taking on his entire body of work in a single epic video. While Anderson's films are unlike anything else being made today, it has to be said that taken together, they have a great deal in common. Check out the Honest Trailer for every single Wes Anderson movie, as performed by a fairly mediocre Alec Baldwin impression.

The Honest Trailer starts out properly be referring to Wes Anderson's productions as "films" rather than "movies" because, to whatever degree there is a difference between those two terms, we can probably all agree that Anderson's movies are one of the reasons the terms are not synonymous. Anderson is clearly trying to make "art" rather than simply tell an entertaining story. Thus the need for a replacement to the traditional Honest Trailer "Epic Voice." Wes Anderson movies aren't exactly epic. They need a voice-over that sounds like it belongs on NPR.

From there, we move on to the protagonists of Wes Anderson movies, men with personal emotional hurdles to overcome. As it turns out, that pretty much sums up all of them, except perhaps the fox, though it is a male fox.

Ultimately, the trailer seems to come down on to two important points regarding the work of Wes Anderson. His movies are awfully similar when it comes to characters and plotting, and that really doesn't matter because there's something about them that still makes them charming and compelling.

Finally, the trailer ends with the traditional "starring" list, but quite possibly the longest one on record, pointing out every repeated character and visual cue that seems to come up in every Wes Anderson movie. Does it count as a trope when it's just the one guy who does it over and over again?

Wes Anderson may repeat himself a lot but there's little argument that in the big picture of moviemaking right now the guy is unique. There's nobody else making movies like him and his movies are a nice occasional palate cleanser among the box office blockbusters that seem to only become more prevalent.

As the trailer mentions, Wes Anderson's new movie is Isle of Dogs an animated feature in the vein of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which follows a pack of dogs and a Japanese boy on an island of trash where all dogs have been exiled. From all indications the new film is excellent and, dare we say, something of a departure from all the items that get poked fun at here.

After watching a summary of all previous Wes Anderson movies, you'll be able to watch the new one this weekend.

Wes Anderson has a long history of often working with the same collection of actors, and Anjelica Huston has been a part of that family for years. While she doesn't exactly have numbers that match Bill Murray, Huston first teamed with the writer/director on The Royal Tenenbaums, and then both The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited. Now the upcoming Isle Of Dogs marks the fourth time that they've collaborated... but there's a special catch with this part: she may be one of the first performers ever credited in an animated movie for a silent part. Fellow Wes Anderson veteran Jeff Goldblum recently told us,

Last month, Jeff Goldblum was in Berlin, Germany for the premiere of Isle of Dogs at the Berlin Film Festival, and it was while sitting down for a roundtable interview with reporters that he revealed the story behind Anjelica Huston's mysterious role in the new stop-motion feature. During the conversation, I actually asked Goldblum specifically about the credit, having caught it during a screening the previous day, and fortunately he had the scoop on it, explaining that it came about when Wes Anderson just couldn't find a legitimate speaking part to give the actress.

Given Anjelica Huston's fantastic past work with Anderson, it's unfortunate that he couldn't generate a more significant role to give her this time around, but to his credit the film actually does feature one of the most remarkable ensembles that Anderson has ever put together. "Wes Vets" like Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDomand, and F. Murray Abraham are all represented, but Isle of Dogs also includes an amazing staff of first-timers, including Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Courtney B. Vance, and Greta Gerwig. All things considered, it's ultimately nice that Wes Anderson did find some way to make Huston a part of the Isle of Dogs group -- and in a unique way.

Movie-goers will be able to not hear Anjelica Huston's voice performance in theaters this weekend, as Isle of Dogs will be entering distribution this Friday. It's a great film that we highly recommend, and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a whole lot more from my interviews with the cast!

Stop-motion animation is a remarkable art form. There is a certain luddite aspect to it, as the powers of modern computers could render in hours what it takes weeks for artists to physically build. But there is arguably no cinematic medium greater at conveying levels of detail or handmade craftsmanship. It ultimately makes for a unique screening experience, as you find yourself drawn into each sumptuous frame as you're embedded in the story.

Of course, not every filmmaker can pull off making a stop-motion animated movie... but writer/director Wes Anderson absolutely can. In 2009 he made his first bold move into the medium, constructing the brilliant, funny and beautiful Fantastic Mr. Fox, and now he's back with Isle Of Dogs -- a film that in many ways represents the best aspects of Anderson as an artist; pairing his wonderful auteur vision with a wholly original, weird world born out of inspiration from man's best friend and an immense appreciation for Japanese culture and art.

Based on a story developed by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura, Isle of Dogs takes audiences 20 years into the future, as Major Kobayashi (Nomura) of Japan, a renowned cat-lover, announces that outbreaks of snout flu among the canine population has made them too dangerous to be among mankind. Despite the opposition party arguing that a cure is possible with proper time and research, it is decreed that all dogs be moved to Trash Island, starting with Spots (Liev Schreiber) -- a dog from Kobayashi's own household who watches over the mayor's young ward, Atari (Koyu Rankin).

Six months later, the entire dog population has moved to Trash Island, all of them suffering from the effects of snout flu while just trying to survive. Chief (Bryan Cranston), Rex (Edward Norton), Boss (Bill Murray), Duke (Jeff Goldblum) and King (Bob Balaban) run in a pack together -- despite all of them being alphas -- but find their daily routine searching for scraps of food interrupted when a small plane crashes nearby. It's discovered that the young, injured pilot is none other than Atari, who has gone against his guardian's wishes in hopes of finding his lost dog. A language barrier separates them (Atari only speaks Japanese while the dogs speak in English), and Chief, a former stray among a group of domesticated friends, doesn't feel the rescue is his responsibility. But before long, they all join together to venture across the island and discover what really happened to Spots.

Because Fantastic Mr. Fox was an adaptation from a beloved children's novel, Isle Of Dogs marks the first time that Wes Anderson has truly been able to physically build a world from the ground up -- and it's such a mesmerizing experience that I internally questioned being able to properly review it having only seen it once. The film is in equal parts inspired by the works of Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki, respectively reflected in the dark, stark city and the fantastical, animal-controlled Trash Island, but it also never lets you forget that this is a Wes Anderson experience with its use of creative split screen, captioned montages, and stunning, long panning shots. Details like gusts of wind flowing through fur, colorful light refracted in broken bottles, and the intermittent dog sneeze feel remarkably precise while always feeling entirely natural; and the use of the medium even makes silhouetted conversations and cartoon-like, dust cloud-obscured brawls feel special. It can get to the point where it practically feels overwhelming -- especially because of the abundant use of subtitles -- but it just suggests that the second viewing will be that much more rewarding.

Aesthetically, Isle of Dogs brings to the table much of what film fans have grown to love about Wes Anderson's work, but there's also a certain amount of maturation from the storyteller, as well. The writer/director has long been associated with dysfunctional family narratives like those found in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, and more, but this film, following The Grand Budapest Hotel, shows Anderson legitimately branching out (obviously the not-America setting is a big part of that as well). Crafting some fascistic parables, the movie is certainly more political than any of his past work, but rather than feeling heavy-handed or overbearing, it's balanced by his natural quirk and charm to be perfectly digestible. It's an excellent evolution for the filmmaker, and a perfect clap-back to anyone who ever called him one-note.

Of course, it also wouldn't be a Wes Anderson film without his troupe of regular players -- which is a group enhanced by a number of new stars joining the family for Isle of Dogs. The strongest role unquestionably belongs to Bryan Cranston's Chief, who is supported with a deep backstory, effective arc, and legitimate transformation -- and while the other characters aren't drawn as boldly, they're still entertainingly well-utilized. Among the main group of dogs, each has their own special affectation that helps them stand out, from Goldblum's gossip-hungry Duke to Norton's plan-devising Rex, and while they don't take over the movie at any given moment, they do make for fantastic background. What's more, Anderson's familiarity with each of their voices means that he knows the exact kind of material they can deliver, and the result is laughs from beginning to end.

Isle of Dogs is the ninth film from Wes Anderson, and an excellent showing, telling fans that he has many more and many different kinds of stories still to tell. Not only is it a fantastic return to the stop-motion animated medium, but with the help of an incredible number of talented artists and performers, it's a movie that plays on the best of the writer/directors sensibilities, while accessing entirely brand new areas of it.

It's an event every time Wes Anderson decides on a new project, which means that the trailer for said project stops traffic dead in its tracks. Prepare for Isle Of Dogs, Anderson's latest venture into the world of stop-motion animation, to do just that. The trailer has been released, and you can see it in its full majesty below.

In Isle of Dogs, our protagonist is Atari Kobayashi: a young boy with piloting skills and a can-do attitude who makes a journey to the titular location for one sole purpose. You see, Atari's looking for his dog, who's been whisked away to Trash Island, the proper name for the Isle of Dogs, all because of a quarantine that has exiled all of the dogs of Atari's home of Megasaki City. Naturally, hijinks ensue, and with a cast of talking dogs with some very familiar voices (for those who know and love Wes Anderson's work).

Already in the trailer for Isle of Dogs, we hear the distinct vocal stylings of Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, and Tilda Swinton -- all veterans of the Wes Anderson repertory cast. However, we do hear some newer additions, as Scarlett Johansson and Bryan Cranston are two of the newer voices to join the cast of luminaries lending their pipes to this latest flight of Andersonian whimsy.

From the first look we've been given above, Fox Searchlight's latest pairing with Wes Anderson certainly looks to be dead center of the wheelhouse for the auteur. And yet, there's a difference in this new film, as Isle of Dogs feels like both the most personal, and possibly the most political film that Anderson has ever done. But, of course, there's still a heaping helping of visual flair, and dryly comedic prowess, that helps the audience remember that this is the same man who brought us Fantastic Mr. Fox not too long ago.

Of course, the biggest disappointment when it comes to Isle of Dogs is the fact that we have to wait so long to see it. Slated to release next spring, we're still a couple months away from seeing these scrappy dogs, and their equally scrappy human counterpart, embark on an adventure of a lifetime. But thankfully, that wait is a little easier now, thanks to a fantastic trailer that'll keep us happy for the time being. At least, until another trailer finds its way into our eager paws.

Isle of Dogs opens on March 23, 2018; and you can check out what else is releasing throughout that same year, courtesy of our handy 2018 release date guide.

Thanksgiving has come and gone in 2016, which means one thing: Christmas season is upon us. The next month or so will see TV commercials filled with as much holiday cheer as can be packed into a brief window of time. Famed director Wes Anderson has teamed up with H&M for a Christmas ad so delightful that even the Grinch would have to approve. Take a look!

I can't speak for anybody else, but I know that when I think "Oscar-winner Adrien Brody," I don't really think "H&M." It came as a lovely surprise when my heart grew three sizes after watching the four-minute ad that had surprisingly little to do with the clothing company. Conductor Ralph and porter Fritz really pulled out all the stops with their small complimentary Christmas brunch. Who knew what magic could happen with scissors, construction paper, and chocolate-flavored hot beverages with whipped topping? Kudos to Wes Anderson, Adrien Brody, and the rest for putting together such a charming short video that ticked all the right boxes for Christmas cheer.

Adrien Brody may not be an expected pick for the face of H&M's holiday line, but he makes sense as an actor for anything directed by Wes Anderson. Brody starred in three of Anderson's films: The Darjeeling Limited in 2007, Fantastic Mr. Fox in 2009, and The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2013. In a fun bit of trivia, The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel both featured live action trains, so it's fitting that a train is the setting for the "Come Together" Christmas ad.

The "Come Together" ad is strikingly different from the 2015 commercial for H&M's Christmas collection. The 2015 ad starred Katy Perry and was actually really, really creepy. The train filled with Christmas miracles this year is definitely a step up from bizarre dancing gingerbread men, Katy Perry dressed like a fairy, and a random polar bear last year. I'd dare say that "Come Together" is even better than Lady Gaga's H&M commercial from 2014, and that was one of the most popular holiday ads of the year.

It should be interesting to see how the Wes Anderson/Adrien Brody collaboration ranks against other holiday commercials this season. Apple got an early start with a Frankenstein-oriented ad that's positively adorable. It's too early to predict overall viewership for the "Come Together" ad, but it has already been viewed more than 2.5 million times during its first two days on Youtube. This commercial could be a major hit of the holiday season.

Check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what you can look forward to on the small screen in the not-too-distant future beyond seasonal commercials. If the "Come Together" ad successfully inspired you to want to check out H&M's Christmas line, you can find it in stores now.

Director Wes Anderson is one of those talents that tends to split audiences. His movies have a certain flavor that appeals to many but turns off others. From Bottle Rocket to The Grand Budapest Hotel, his films are filled stunning imagery and quirky characters. He’s almost become a trope unto himself, which can be poked fun at like any other. Because of this it's more than a little surprising that the director has considered working in two of the most un-Wes Anderson genres imaginable, a horror film or a Christmas movie.

Indiewire has Anderson’s comments from the Rome Film Festival, where he revealed his interest in the two types of film. His desire to make a horror movie makes some sense for a director interested in challenging himself and trying different things. He said:

The emotions of the audience are one of the things that Anderson seems to enjoy playing with the most. His films don’t easily fit in a box. Individuals watching the same scene can have very different reactions because his movies don't really tell you how to feel about them, something Anderson strives for. To change direction so severely and focus on horror, a genre whose entire purpose to control your emotions, would be a major break from "the Wes Anderson movie" that we're all so familiar with. Although, for some of us, Rushmore kind of was a horror movie.

On the other hand, his interest in making a Christmas movie is less about stretching his abilities as a director, and a little more about stretching his bank account. He added:

Cynicism notwithstanding, he’s not wrong about that. Part of the reason we get inundated with new Christmas movies by the truckload every season is because anything that becomes part of pop culture will last for decades and make their creators millions. Anderson’s films are usually well received by critics, but they’re rarely box office blockbusters. A little recurring revenue wouldn’t be a bad thing. A Christmas movie could still be about driving audience emotion, however, just in the opposite direction from horror. This idea might actually be brilliant, or it could just be the worst idea ever.

Would you see a horror movie or a holiday film directed by Wes Anderson? While both ideas mostly confuse us we’d probably check them both out just for morbid curiosity’s sake.

You ever wonder what would happen if one of the quirkiest directors in Hollywood got his hands on a massive video game property like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain? Well, you can stop wondering, as we now have a trailer for Wes Anderson’s next cinematic masterpiece.

Wes Anderson, best known for movies like The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums and, more recently, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel, is one of those rare directors whose movies have a very distinct style. It’s a style perfectly captured in this recent addition to Youtube, which asks the question, “What if Wes Anderson Directed Metal Gear Solid V?”

I once had a friend describe Wes Anderson’s films as “What a movie you made with your friends at the age of 10 would look like if you had a lot of money.” That’s not a knock on Anderson’s films themselves, as the guy is basically a factory that produces classics. But his movies are always full of a sense of youthful wonder, populated by bizarre individuals who deliver their stilted lines with almost robotic precision. That’s the same way Anderson’s movies are shot and written, too, turning the mundane into something almost magical. Again, it’s a very distinct style.

Above, Jacob Rich and his pals have harnessed the spirit of Anderson’s films and plugged them into a hugely popular video game series. That’s pretty appropriate, as Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain launches today across PlayStation and Xbox platforms, as well as PC.

Just like in Anderson’s films, Snake and Co. find themselves in some pretty dramatic situations, but there’s always a hint of childlike wonder wrapped around each scene.

What makes this pairing even more appropriate is the fact that MGS Director Hideo Kojima is one of the handful of game developers that has a similarly distinct style. From his bizarre cast of characters to the overly complex plots, wonderful soundtracks and goofball sense of humor plugged into otherwise dramatic affairs, Kojima and Anderson are two creators cut from the same cloth.

If you’re still hungry for more, you’ll find a similar “trailer” for a God of War movie posted below. While the creators of this one don’t openly refer to Wes Anderson, it’s clear that his unique spin on movies was a huge inspiration.

Wes Anderson continues to put out quirky and colorful award-winning films every couple years, but for Whoopi Goldberg, there’s a certain aspect of color that is blatantly missing from his films. The Oscar-winning actress hosted regular Wes Anderson film star Jason Schwartzman on her talk show The View, and kindly asked the actor to pass along her resume to Anderson after noticing that his films do not have "a lot of folks of colour".

This certainly is not the first time Anderson has been criticized for his lack of diversity in films. He is known for using the same actors over and over again, and even as Goldberg pointed out, Jason Schwartzman has been a primary figure in almost all of his films from Grand Budapest Hotel to Moonrise Kingdom to Rushmore. As the interview on The View started, Goldberg jumped right to her point, explaining that she loves all the Wes Anderson movies, but she does see one gleaming problem. She said:

While Goldberg didn’t act angry or upset, she certainly meant what she said. And really wants to be in an Anderson film. We can see it. And from her resume, she is certainly more than qualified. The 59-year-old not only holds an Oscar, but is one over very few to hold the big four— an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. And she wants the part so badly that she even went as far as to joke that full-frontal nudity is an option, if that’s what it takes. Here you can take a look at the entire interaction between The View crew and guests Jason Schwartzman and Adam Scott.

Schwartzman and Scott were both a bit flabbergasted. Schwartzman went on to share his own praise for the actress, and thank her for her contributions to the industry. Scott was just surprised at the entire situation asking, "Can’t you just hold your Oscar up and get anything you want?" To which Goldberg responded, "I wish that were the case!"

Goldberg has every right to call out Anderson. When I think back at his films, the only black actor I can recall is Danny Glover in The Royal Tenenbaums, and that was back in the early 2000s. Anderson is now at 8 feature length films since Bottle Rocket came out in 1996. That’s not a ton, but it’s enough that we should be seeing a bit more diversity in them. Not to say I don’t enjoy the recurrence of Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and more, but the addition of more talented actors/actresses, no matter the diversity, is certainly welcomed in our book.

You’d think that a horror classic about a man dealing homicidal past life issues with his family and a charming period piece comedy about an assiduous hotel concierge and his lobby boy apprentice would have little to nothing in common. However, this amazing mashup of The Shining and The Grand Budapest Hotel flows so smoothly it makes you want to get out your tinfoil hat and ponder if it was too perfect.

A filmmaker named Steve Ramsden pieced together this spectacular cut, The Grand Overlook Hotel, which brilliantly showcases a rather disturbing compatibility between the two seemingly dissimilar dilemmas of the films’ characters. While the clip contains footage from Stanley Kubrick’s tension-teeming horror masterpiece, the power of peppy music and editing has somehow absorbed the late helmer’s work into the folksy, charming stylistics of Wes Anderson. In essence, as the clip’s labeling suggests, this has become The Shinning as it would be translated through the lens of Anderson’s kitschy filmmaking proclivities.

There have been plenty of Wes Anderson-style parody treatments that hilariously showcase how the director’s vintage-store-style of filmmaking translates to genre-inappropriate properties. However, this one in particular unravels in a neatly linear form that seems to surpass the simple notion of parody. For all intents and purposes, 1980’s The Shinning and 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel have spawned this hybrid dark comedy piece about a man who interviews for a job at a fancy hotel full of salacious secrets and experiences a mental breakdown and terrorizes the staff and his own family. It makes a surprisingly plausible case for a film in its own right.

Oddly enough, there are some unifying attributes here that may have supplied the success for this synthesis. Besides the glaringly obvious fact that both films take place in a spacious, extravagant hotel, situated in an isolated location, there are also some thematic parallels. As a controlling concierge of the Grand Budapest, Ralph Fiennes’ Gustave, the product of the hotel’s heyday, is the taskmaster of an operation attempting to keep past glory alive that inevitably leads to an ignominiously abandoned end as a desiccated, abandoned property. Likewise, Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance, in the ultimate irony, runs from his own personal alcohol-induced demons to the idyllic Overlook Hotel to find peace with his family and write his novel. Instead, it becomes quite apparent that his efforts only landed him face-to-face with an unknown horrific past that he was attempting to avoid.

In essence, both characters tenaciously carry out an elaborate exercise in futility, fighting fate. Thus, the results of this mashup clip seem to mesh well, not only because of the similarities in the setting, but due to a similar levels of defiance in the protagonists against an apparent inevitability. Well, at least, that’s just one theory, anyway.

Well, it’s no X-Men: Apocalypse or Deadpool or Gambit, but this’ll have to do until next year when the X-Men movie universe will give us all three of those films. In the same vein as previous Wes Anderson parody videos, like Andersonian versions of Point Break, The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars: Episode 7, comes a new take on X-Men. What if the director of the Oscar-winning The Grand Budapest Hotel helmed one of these superhero films? It would look pretty much like this.

Patrick Willems filmed and edited a video that sees the Uncanny X-Men through a Wes Anderson filter, and the result is as whimsical as it might sound. The fact that Willems kinda looks like Anderson also doesn’t hurt his efforts.

Telling the tale of Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, receiving his letter of acceptance into the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngster, the video sees him arriving at the doorstep of the illustrious brownstone to hone his mutant abilities and meet some eccentric characters. You might’ve noticed this on first glance, but this is actually the house from Anderson’s The Royal Tenanbaums. As Willems said in the adjoining making-of video, this is the only Wes Anderson parody (that he knows of) to actually include a shot of the house.

Willems’ video follows the crop of characters from the earlier X-Men line-up: Jean Grey, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, Angel, Storm, Wolverine, Professor X and Magneto. And their costumes are very reminiscent of that, giving nods to the ‘80s X-Factor get-ups and Grant Morrison’s New X-Men comic book run. Though he doesn’t have the big budget worthy of Days of Future Past, he does have an appreciation for the finesses that made this one of the greatest Wes Anderson parodies on the web.

There are plenty of other nods to Anderson’s films and directing style. There’s his favorite font (Font Futura), his unique brand of slapstick, a brilliant use of color (especially pink), a lighthearted and bright instrumental music selection, and at least one slow motion shot. Since The Grand Budapest Hotel is so fresh in our minds, after it took home four Oscars at this year’s Academy Awards, that scuffle between Cyclops and Magneto is very reminiscent of that comedic styling. Check out the behind-the-scenes video to learn more about how Willems and his team put everything together.

As superhero movies are getting more "serious" by the day (we're looking at you Man of Steel), this Anderson/X-Men parody serves as a nice reminder for these filmmakers to embrace some of the comedy. That's partly why so many fell in love with comic books growing...though, we do still wanna see mutantkind battling chaotic forces to save the world.

Here’s something you almost certainly never noticed: Wes Anderson has a slight obsession with the colors red and yellow. You probably don’t believe that’s true. Joking aside, there’s a handy video now available that showcases just how often he uses these colors, and it’s pretty damn wonderful. Watch it below!

See, what did I tell you? Kudos to Rishi Kaneria for creating Red & Yellow: A Wes Anderson Supercut, which divinely brings together and amalgamates footage from the likes of Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, along with the short films Hotel Chevalier and Castello Cavalcanti. Just in case you didn’t know, that’s all of Anderson’s movies - which suggests that he might have a problem.

Could be a medical reason for Wes Anderson’s intense devotion to red and yellow? Maybe Anderson actually suffers from Heinsbergen Syndrome, the condition that afflicted Dudley Heinsbergen in The Royal Tenenbaums.. That condition certainly had more than a few bizarre side effects, thoughi f Anderson does suffer from this rare disorder then he would show symptoms like amnesia, dyslexia and color blindness too. At least on the plus side he would also have a highly acute sense of hearing.

Rishi Kaneria deserves great praise and compliments this delightful mash-up. Even his decision to use Mychael Danna’s score from Little Miss Sunshine’s soundtrack as the clip’s background proved to be a slice of genius. Personally I thought the editor might have gone with one of Mark Mothersbaugh’s numbers from Rushmore or The Royal Tenenbaums, but the above clip proves how emphatically wrong I would have been.

His terrific use of split screen shows just how regularly Wes Anderson uses these colors, and highlights that he’s been using a very consistent color pallet throughout his career. Just look at Luke Wilson in Bottle Rocket (Anderson’s first film) and Jason Schwartzman in The Darjeeling Limited (Anderson’s fifth):

Or this segment from the opening montage of The Royal Tenenbaums, which perfectly aligns with Kristofferson’s dive from Fantastic Mr Fox:

But why focus on singular moments from the clip? Just watch it again in all of its glory. It’s only a minute and 50 seconds long, and it’s sensational.

Wes Anderson has a devout audience. Most casual moviegoers (those who are mainly interested in blockbuster, multiplex fare) admittedly haven’t heard of him, though more passionate cinephiles have watched his career ebb and flow in a beguiling, not always riveting, fashion.

That hasn’t stopped movie hipsters from taking him as their own, though. In fact, they often look to prove that they’re bona-fide experts by holding Anderson up to a ridiculously high level of esteem. More often than not, Anderson has delivered, though. He's done this by not only creating unique but vivid cinematic worlds, but by also evolving as a filmmaker. Plus his pitch-perfect musical choices, and blending of European art-house traits with a stylish, modern viewpoint have helped to set him apart too.

But which Wes Anderson films are as beautiful as a crayon pony fish? And which are as frustrating as the hardest geometry problem in the world? Take a gander at my ranking of every Wes Anderson film below. You can furiously disagree in the comments.

8. Moonrise Kingdom

One of Wes Anderson’s most cherished tales, Moonrise Kingdom has been described as an "eccentric pubescent love story." His seventh film to be released, it possesses most of the hallmarks that we associate with an Anderson picture. There’s a huge ensemble of perfectly cast, quirky but relatable characters, each of which are delightfully driven, triumphantly un-cynical and strive to be stoic in the face of great emotion, while he uses Rhode Island to create a seldom seen but recognizable world.

However, Moonrise Kingdom falters because it lacks the pace or intriguing plot of his other films. Obviously, Moonrise Kingdom was always meant to be a simple love story. But Anderson’s style and characterization doesn’t lend itself to this structure in a compelling fashion. Instead, the film repeatedly stalls. Jokes fall flat, characters seem too outlandish, and Anderson fails to provide his usual exuberant visuals to cover up for its failings. Still, there’s plenty to enjoy about Moonrise Kingdom, and it proves that even a mediocre Wes Anderson film is better than half of the rubbish that Hollywood releases every year.

7. The Life Aquatic

Recognized in some circles as Wes Anderson’s worst film to date, The Life Aquatic eclipses Moonrise Kingdom (in my opinion) because it proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. It features some of the director’s most emotional scenes to date (especially -- SPOILER ALERT -- the death of Owen Wilson’s Ned Zissou and the discovery of the Jaguar Shark) while it also marks the filmmaker’s first foray into stop-motion… something he’d use to extraordinary lengths later in his career. And there is certainly enough humor and quirkiness to please even the most casual of Anderson devotees.

But there’s no denying the fact that its lackadaisical pace, unrealized characters and ponderous plot make it hard to invest fully. Plus, The Life Aquatic isn’t as funny as it thinks it is and, at times, Anderson borders on the self-indulgent.

Still, the film’s unique soundtrack, meandering narrative, and a stand-out performance from Jeff Goldblum still make The Life Aquatic eminently watchable. In fact, if you let your inhibitions go and truly embrace the world, there is plenty to enjoy and be fascinated by.

6. The Darjeeling Limited

Wes Anderson’s love letter to the films of Satyajit Ray. This saw him travel to India (Jodhpur, to be precise) to film The Darjeeling Limited. And by making this excursion, he was truly able to evoke the humidity, confusion and claustrophobia that the country has to offer, and it lends itself delightfully to his approach.

Anderson also juxtaposes film scores from Ray’s films with his usual blend of British guitar rock to create an intriguingly uneven but nevertheless catchy backbone that the film ebbs and flows to. Anderson’s script is packed with wit and intrigue, while Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody bounce off of each other with aplomb as the film’s equally flawed by truly caring brothers. The Darjeeling Limited is flawed. It’s self-important, touches upon the same themes and subject matter (sibling relationships, abandonment and the upper class) that Anderson has covered before, regurgitates his style and leaves you feeling empty and a tad unfulfilled.

Despite all of these issues, it’s still oddly beautiful. I’m not really sure why. But that’s part of its beauty.

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox

George Clooney never sounded better as Mr. F.F. Fox, the wonderfully charismatic and ridiculously confident protagonist in Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book.

Clooney takes Fantastic Mr. Fox by the scruff of the neck and provides it with a relentless energy and warmth that permeates throughout the entire picture. Of course, the fact that Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson and Michael Gambon interject with their voices also helps.

Anderson uses Dahl’s book as a starting point, creating a new beginning and ending for the story, and miraculously creates a wonderfully vibrant world that is still respectful to its source material. The stop-motion sometimes stagnates the film’s pace and energy, but it helps to make the film enticingly scruffy, along with its stale palette of dirt and dying leaves. Anderson’s decision to film audio outside rather than in a studio also provides a real earthiness.

Perhaps a tad uneven, especially when Anderson’s story tries to blend into the novel, Fantastic Mr. Fox is still wonderfully whimsical, universally appealing, wholly satisfying, and the director’s funniest film to date.

4. Bottle Rocket

Danny Boyle has a theory that every director’s first film is their best. Why? Because it features a freshness that they will never replicate. It’s not a theory that I fully endorse. In fact, I think there’s a catalogue of evidence that proves the filmmaker wrong. But with Bottle Rocket, I can start to see where Boyle is coming from.

That’s because Bottle Rocket’s naivety is pretty much plastered on-screen. Anderson, who co-wrote the film with its lead star -- the since seldom heard from Owen Wilson-- has a clear affection for each of his characters that is shown through an un-cynical lens, which you can’t help but connect with. In fact, the film’s trifecta of lead characters (Dignan, Anthony and Bob) and their story of trying to find danger in order to feel alive are so preposterously human that it borders on the un-cinematic.

But while Bottle Rocket lacks the visual flair that would later become a hallmark of Anderson’s career, he packs the film with such rich moments of genuine warmth and simplistic joys that you immediately sympathize with their plight. The fact that Bottle Rocket happens to be genuinely laugh-out-loud funny and packed with heart means that you’re along for every step of the ride with them, too. Don’t believe me? Then just listen to Martin Scorsese then.

3. The Royal Tenenbaums

While Bill Murray is widely regarded as the quintessential Wes Anderson actor, I’d say that Gene Hackman is Anderson’s ideal leading man. Hackman embodies all of the characteristics that the director looks for in this field. He’s terrifyingly fierce, has a magnetic yet mysterious screen presence, and can go from heartfelt to humorous in a heartbeat. In The Royal Tenenbaums, Hackman uses all of these traits to be an all-round bastard, but one you still can’t help but root for. And without him, the film would fail.

The Royal Tenenbaums is Anderson’s attempt to tell the story of a grandiose American family that, despite their genius, is falling apart at the seams. It’s heavily inspired by Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons, and it is the closest anyone has come in the last two decades to re-creating the Golden Age of Hollywood with a modern sheen.

It’s also perfectly structured and rhythmically paced, rich with emotion, pathos and humor, and awash with stand-out performances. Anderson’s most fully-realized and accomplished, but not yet completely satisfying or original, work.

2. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson truly having fun with the camera as a director. Sequences are longer than they should be, jokes are more blatant and crude… even each of the performers seems to have been given free reign to be as outlandish as they desire.

You’d have thought his might resulted in a hodge-podge of mediocrity, but these elements gel together perfectly to create a truly evocative, funny and beguiling tale. Is this down to luck or talent? Probably a bit of both.

As per usual, Anderson is typically stylish, but he underlines this with several truly heartbreaking and intimate relationships. There’s an iconoclastic and mythical aura surrounding The Grand Budapest Hotel that you can’t help but get swept up in, while once again his posse of actors each deliver with aplomb when called upon. The Grand Budapest Hotel ferments with vital energy and intrigue throughout, and it suggests that Anderson’s career is about to enter a new, exciting and more playful phase.

1. Rushmore

Bottle Rocketwas adored by everyone who saw it. There was just one problem: hardly anyone actually saw it. Anderson could have easily cowered over this apparent rejection, but instead, the director produced a brazen, pop-music-inspired coming-of-age tale that revolved around young love, friendship and ambition for his follow-up.

Despite the fact that its lead character, Max Fischer, is an utterly detestable loser, there’s something innately hip about Rushmore. Anderson’s impeccable choice of British Invasion music from the 1960s, as well as Fischer’s love of cinema and unrelenting pursuit of love and ambition, each add to this aura. But it’s really the patter between Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman that gives Rushmore an edge.

With a $20 million budget, Anderson truly goes off the edge, deploying a whole host of cinematic tricks that Hollywood studios normal stifle. While Anderson was far from the first to utilize these movements, pans and framing options, no one had done so in such a wonderfully unique and modern setting, which instantly allowed him to become the poster boy for quirky, alternative filmmaking.

There’s a debate to be had as to whether Anderson deserves such acclaim. But in my opinion, there’s no denying the fact that Rushmore is dark, deft, poetic, laugh-out-loud funny and affecting film. It launched Anderson’s cinematic voice, and did so in a fresh and endearingly simple way.

Disagree? Carry on...

This poll is no longer available.

The 2015 BAFTA Nominations were announced this morning and there were some surprising nominations among big time snubs. Among the most surprising, though not entirely unearned, is Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel emerging with the most BAFTA nominations on the list, with a total of 11. But, most shocking of all are major films that have been left out of the mix, including the civil rights drama, Selma, which has been highly praised since its recent release.

It’s unclear why (or how?!) Selma could be left out, but if release date proves anything, The Grand Budapest Hotel was one of the first films released in the award season, as opposed to Selma being one of the last. Could it be that the BAFTAs needed more time to let their opinions settle, even despite the critical acclaim in the past weeks? We can’t be sure, but it definitely is a big miss on their part. Check the entire list out for yourselves below to see whether or not you agree with this year’s nominations.

BEST FILM

Birdman, Alejandro G. Inarritu, John Lesher, James W. Skotchdopole

Boyhood, Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson

The Imitation Game, Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman

The Theory of Everything, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

’71, Yann Demange, Angus Lamont, Robin Gutch, Gregory Burke

The Imitation Game, Morten Tyldum, Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman, Graham Moore

Paddington, Paul King, David Heyman

Pride, Matthew Warchus, David Livingstone, Stephen Beresford

The Theory of Everything, James Marsh, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten

Under the Skin, Jonathan Glazer, James Wilson, Nick Wechsler, Walter Campbell

ANIMATED FILM

Big Hero 6, Don Hall, Chris Williams

The Boxtrolls, Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable

The Lego Movie, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

DIRECTOR

Birdman, Alejandro G. Inarritu

Boyhood, Richard Linklater

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson

The Theory of Everything, James Marsh

Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Birdman, Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr, Armando Bo

Boyhood, Richard Linklater

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson

Nightcrawler, Dan Gilroy

Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Sniper, Jason Hall

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn

The Imitation Game, Graham Moore

Paddington, Paul King

The Theory of Everything, Anthony McCarten

LEADING ACTOR

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton, Birdman

Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel

LEADING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, Big Eyes

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Edward Norton, Birdman

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emma Stone, Birdman

Imelda Staunton, Pride

Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Rene Russo, Nightcrawler

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Birdman, Antonio Sanchez

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat

Interstellar, Hans Zimmer

The Theory of Everything, Johann Johannsson

Under the Skin, Mica Levi

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Birdman, Emmanuel Lubezki

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Robert Yeoman

Ida, Lukasz Zal, Ryzsard Lenczewski

Interstellar, Hoyte van Hoytema

Mr. Turner, Dick Pope

EDITING

Birdman, Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Barney Pilling

The Imitation Game, William Goldenberg

Nightcrawler, John Gilroy

The Theory of Everything, Jinx Godfrey

Whiplash, Tom Cross

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH ACTOR, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

Elaine Constantine (Writer/Director,) Northern Soul

Gregory Burke (Writer), Yann Demange (Director), ’71

Hong Khaou (Writer/Director), Lilting

Paul Katis (Director/Producer), Andrew de Lotbiniere (Producer), Kajaki: The True Story

Stephen Beresford (Writer), David Livingstone (Producer), Pride

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Ida, Pawel Pawlikowski, Eric Abraham, Piotr Dzieciol, Ewa Puszczynska

Leviathan, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Alexander Rodnyansky, Sergey Melkumov

The Lunchbox, Ritesh Batra, Arun Rangachari, Anurag Kashyap, Guneet Monga

Trash, Stephen Daldry, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Kris Thykier

Two Days, One Night, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Denis Freyd

DOCUMENTARY

20 Feet From Stardom, Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Gil Friesen

20,000 Days on Earth, Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard

Citizenfour, Laura Poitras

Finding Vivian Maier, John Maloof, Charlie Siskel

Virunga, Orlando von Einsiedel, Joanna Natasegara

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Big Eyes, Rick Heinrichs, Shane Vieau

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock

The Imitation Game, Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana MacDonald

Interstellar, Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis

Mr. Turner, Suzie Davies, Charlotte Watts

COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Milena Canonero

The Imitation Game, Sammy Sheldon Differ

Into the Woods, Colleen Atwood

Mr. Turner, Jacqueline Durran

The Theory of Everything, Steven Noble

MAKE-UP AND HAIR

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Frances Hannon

Guardians of the Galaxy, Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, David White

Into the Woods, Peter Swords King, J. Roy Helland

Mr. Turner, Christine Blundell, Lesa Warrener

The Theory of Everything, Jan Sewell

SOUND

American Sniper, Walt Martin, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman

Birdman, Thomas Varga, Martin Hernández, Aaron Glascock, Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wayne Lemmer, Christopher Scarabosio, Pawel Wdowczak

The Imitation Game, John Midgley, Lee Walpole, Stuart Hilliker, Martin Jensen

Whiplash, Thomas Curley, Ben Wilkins, Craig Mann

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Erik Winquist, Daniel Barrett

Guardians of the Galaxy, Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner, Nicolas Aithadi

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White

Interstellar, Paul Franklin, Scott Fisher, Andrew Lockley

X-Men: Days of Future Past, Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Tim Crosbie, Cameron Waldbauer

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

The Bigger Picture, Chris Hees, Daisy Jacobs, Jennifer Majka

Monkey Love Experiments, Ainslie Henderson, Cam Fraser, Will Anderson

My Dad, Marcus Armitage

BRITISH SHORT FILM

Boogaloo and Graham, Brian J. Falconer, Michael Lennox, Ronan Blaney

Emotional Fusebox, Michael Berliner, Rachel Tunnard

The Kármán Line, Campbell Beaton, Dawn King, Tiernan Hanby, Oscar Sharp

Slap, Islay Bell-Webb, Michelangelo Fano, Nick Rowland

Three Brothers, Aleem Khan, Matthieu de Braconier, Stephanie Paeplow

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Jack O’Connell

Margot Robbie

Miles Teller

Shailene Woodley

Comedy was strong this year, and Wes Anderson’s star-studded flick sits atop some other very highly-praised films including Alejandro G Inarritu’s dark comedy, Birdman with 10 nominations and James Marsh’s romantic drama The Theory of Everything which also shows up in 10 categories. There are also, as expected, plenty of nods towards The Imitation Game as well as a best actor nomination for Benedict Cumberbatch and Paddington bear even shows up on the list (even though his film had some terrible buzz for months).

Some other surprises include Steve Carell who turns up in the Supporting Actor category despite talks of contending in the Best Actor category for upcoming Oscar nominations. Also, Amy Adams shows up again at the BAFTAs, this year for her role in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, as a Lead Actress nomination. We'll see who takes home the prize next month at the BAFTA Awards Ceremony which will take place Sunday, February 8 in London.

I’m not sure which I’ve enjoyed more, the actual Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer (which is incredible), or the clever spoofs that have emerged in the days following its release. We recently brought you a funny clip that used the Force Awakens audio to show what J.J. Abrams’ Guardians of the Galaxy would look like. Thene there was the LEGO version of the teaser. Now, there’s a spot-on version of the Star Wars trailer, as if Wes Anderson had directed it.

Jonah Feingold posted the clip to YouTube, and it does more than just ape Wes Anderson’s distinct visual cues and music nods. The fantastic font choices, the moments when he chooses to pause (and zoom in) on a given scene – it’s like Feingold crawled inside the head of the Life Aquatic and Grand Budapest Hotel filmmaker and translated the Force Awakens footage for a different audience. It’s pretty brilliant.

Do you need a reminder of how awesome the Force Awakens trailer actually was? OK, fine, give it another spin.

The Wes Anderson spoof isn’t the only one out there, of course. But it’s one of the most clever we’ve seen, because it understands exactly how the "voice" of certain footage can change so drastically with mild alterations to tone, music and specific edits. For example, will be be able to think of anything now but "a hooded ruffian" when we see this character play out next December?

Come next year, though, we’ll all be settling in for, as "Wes" puts it, a magnificent spectacle, and things of that nature.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.

Wes Anderson is riding high. His latest, THe Grand Budapest Hotel, not only won massive critical acclaim, but also landed the title of the highest domestic indie film of 2014. So what will the man behind Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom do next? It's looking like a return to animation, but with an unexpected inspiration.

The Playlist reveals that Wes Anderson is in the works at developing a stop-motion animated effort, which would be his second following The Fantastic Mr. Fox. While Anderson isn't yet unveiling a potential title for the picture, he has confessed that its structure will be inspired by Italian neorealist and filmmaker Vittorio De Sica. More specifically, this unnamed animated film will mimic the structure of De Sica's 1954 dramedy The Gold of Naples.

For those unfamiliar with The Gold of Naples, it is a film that pays tribute to its titular Italian city by presenting six vignettes of different characters who live within its walls, including a professor, a prostitute, a pizza seller, and a clown who falls in with a gangster. At a Q&A at the Lisbon and Estoril Film Festival, Wes Anderson suggested he'd similarly present a series of stop-motion vignettes, each tying into a common theme. What that central theme is, however, remains a mystery for now. Still, this concept seems a natural progression for Anderson, whose films often contain chapters, a plethora of characters, and the occasional companion-piece short film.

Revisit The Grand Budapest's companion short Castello Cavalcanti below:

The Playlist goes on to posit that Anderson's unnamed stop motion picture could well be the same project he teased while doing press for Grand Budapest Hotel last spring. At the time, he told the site that he was working with Roman Coppola, who collaborated on both Moonrise Kingdom and The Darjeeling Limited with the director. And he offered, "I'm trying to think of a good tease. I think the thing is well, it's a thing where maybe there’s ‘many things happening at once.’ That could be my tease."

Check out a clip from The Gold of Naples on page 2. Then imagine it in Wes Anderson's signature pastels, and possibly with stop motion animals.