Wes Anderson is gearing up for his big screen return with The Phoenician Scheme, which has just debuted a star-studded trailer that's equal parts confusing and intriguing.
The famously fastidious filmmaker has got us used to an immediately recognisable style — think square aspect ratio, pastel palettes and more than a touch of pitch-black humour — that he's developed across his 12 features, including Netflix's Roald Dahl quartet.
Said style, which has enjoyed a surge in mainstream popularity by way of TikTok trends a few years back, is all the more identifiable in the trailer for The Phoenician Scheme.
While the clip whisks us to a visually unmistakable Anderson universe, story details for the upcoming movie are scarce (finally, a trailer that doesn't give away the entire plot, huh?).
Ahead of its May release, here's what we know about Anderson's 13th feature film.
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The Phoenician Scheme stars Benicio del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, one of "the richest men in Europe" and a character with a penchant for a reckless lifestyle.
The trailer informs us that Korda has survived a dozen plane crashes, reported numerous injuries and amassed great fortunes, and is now ready for one potentially final mission.
He's determined to pass his estate onto one of his kids, estranged daughter Liesel (Mia Threapleton), who has since become a nun.
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The trailer sees the father-daughter duo embarking on a perilous adventure, fending off rival billionaires and government execs who intend to put a stop to Zsa-Zsa's construction project in the fictional state of Phoenicia.
In true Anderson fashion, Threapleton and del Toro are joined by a starry ensemble.
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The cast includes a bunch of returning actors and pals of the writer-director, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Rupert Friend, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Ayoade, and Benedict Cumberbatch, to name but a few.
The Phoenician Scheme also stars Michael Cera and Riz Ahmed, here in their first collaboration with the filmmaker.
The Phoenician Scheme is released in cinemas on May 23.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
