Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ Set for May Release, Focus Features Acquires Distribution

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Mar 14

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

A meticulously crafted, star-studded family saga from the Oscar-winning director

Focus Features is officially back in the Wes Anderson business, acquiring worldwide distribution rights to his highly anticipated new film, The Phoenician Scheme. The film, penned by Anderson with a story co-written by longtime collaborator Roman Coppola, is set for a limited theatrical release on May 30, 2025, before expanding wide on June 6. Universal Pictures, Focus’s parent company, will oversee its international rollout.

The project marks the third time Focus has teamed up with Anderson, following their successful releases of Moonrise Kingdom and Asteroid City. The latter grossed a solid $53.8 million at the box office, while Moonrise Kingdom earned $68.3 million and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. With The Phoenician Scheme, Anderson once again assembles an all-star ensemble to inhabit his signature, highly stylized world—one that blends eccentricity, deadpan humor, and meticulous visual symmetry.

A Family Business with a Mysterious Twist

Plot details remain largely under wraps, but The Phoenician Scheme follows Zsa-Zsa Korda, one of the wealthiest men in Europe, played by Benicio del Toro. His daughter, portrayed by rising star Mia Threapleton, is at the center of the story, with Michael Cera playing her tutor. The sprawling cast includes some of Anderson’s most frequent collaborators and a few new additions to his ever-expanding cinematic universe: Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Mathieu Amalric, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

As with all of Anderson’s films, expect a richly textured narrative filled with intricate set pieces, wry humor, and a perfectly curated soundtrack. Filmed in Germany in association with Studio Babelsberg, the film continues Anderson’s recent trend of shooting in European locations, as seen in The Grand Budapest Hotel and Asteroid City.

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A New Chapter in Anderson’s Storied Career

Anderson, fresh off his Oscar win for Best Live Action Short Film (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), remains one of the most distinctive auteurs in modern cinema. His body of work, which includes Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, has solidified him as a filmmaker with a unique ability to merge whimsy with deeply human storytelling.

The Phoenician Scheme is produced under Anderson’s American Empirical Pictures banner alongside longtime collaborators Steven Rales (Indian Paintbrush), Jeremy Dawson, and John Peet. The film’s release will add another chapter to Anderson’s already remarkable legacy, and given the director’s dedicated fanbase, it is poised to become one of the most talked-about arthouse films of 2025.