

In an interview with Empire, Wes Anderson described his upcoming film, The Phoenician Scheme, as most similar to his 2001 film, The Royal Tenenbaums: “It’s from the same well.” The current film follows an eccentric father, Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Benicio del Toro) who Anderson described as partially inspired by his own father-in-law.
Known for his ensemble casts, the film will also feature Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, and Hope Davis.
Del Toro’s co-star, Threapleton, who happens to be the daughter of Kate Winslet, is said to stand out for her “revelatory” performance. As Zsa-zsa Korda’s daughter, a nun, she reunites with her father to chase an elaborate plan to secure her inheritance through a land expansion program.
Anderson co-wrote the film with frequent collaborator, Roman Coppola. In the interview, Anderson expressed his personal connection to The Phoenician Scheme:
When we made The Royal Tenenbaums, [co-writer] Owen Wilson and I were thinking about lots of different people with that character. Now, I’m somebody who has a daughter,” he says. “It’s a bit from the point of view of being a father. As little as my life shares with Zsa-zsa.
The anticipated film is premiering this month at the Cannes Film Festival. It will have a limited theatrical release in theaters May 30th and a wide release June 6th.