While all of director Wes Anderson's movies have a distinct style about them that reminds us of a previous time, only recently has he actually started setting his movies in the past. All of Anderson's movies from Bottle Rocket to The Fantastic Mr. Fox were set in the present, but this past summer the filmmaker made a change when he directed Moonrise Kingdom - a film set in 1965. And it looks like he'll be sticking with the past for his next feature as well.
With Moonrise Kingdom now on Blu-ray, Anderson sat down for a chat with The Los Angeles Times and revealed a few new details about his next film, The Grand Budapest Hotel - including the fact that "it mostly takes place about 85 years ago" (for the math impaired that's in the late 1920s). Pressed for more info, the director added that its a bit inspired by Hollywood Europe, citing Ernst Lubitsch films such as To Be or Not To Be and The Shop Around the Corner. "So I think we've got a little bit of that feel," Anderson said, "that Europe on the Hollywood back lot, even though we're actually going to Europe to do it. It's got some of that kind of thing in it. The Lubitsch ones are always good to aim for."
As previously reported, the movie will once again be sporting an ensemble cast that includes both Anderson regulars and a few newcomers to the director's fold. Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law and Angela Lansbury have all already signed up for roles. The film is still gearing up for production.
