I know we’ve barely escaped Winter yet – there’s actually an upcoming Winter storm coming tomorrow until Saturday morning [SIGH], but I’m already anticipating Spring and Summer movies!
Wes Anderson‘s movies don’t always get released in the Summer months, in fact, the last one, The French Dispatch, was released in the Fall. I suppose it’s fitting that this one will arrive in June given its sunny desert town setting. Here’s the official synopsis per Focus Features:
Asteroid City is a poetic meditation on the meaning of life. It tells the story of a fictional American desert town circa 1955 and its Junior Stargazer convention, which brings together students and parents from across the country for scholarly competition, rest/recreation, comedy, drama, romance, and more.
What’s notable is this is the director’s first foray into the science fiction genre, but of course, it’s still described as a comedy-drama. This article reveals a bit more about what this Stargazer convention is about… a desert town in the American Southwest sprang up around a space rock that crash-landed there years before and an ‘Asteroid Day’ takes place to commemorate the day the meteorite struck. Meanwhile, the town’s Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention appears to have made contact with aliens. The film is shot in a small Spanish suburb of Chinchón, about 50 miles outside Madrid, which subs for the American Southwest.
It’s got everything one would want and expect from Wes… stunning visuals, his trademark color schemes and symmetrical framing, and quirky characters. He co-wrote the script with his longtime collaborator Roman Coppola. There’s no stargazing in Wes Anderson movies without well… movie stars. I mean, the cast is out of this world! It’s SO stacked there are famous names that aren’t even featured in the trailer!! He’d need like a 5-minute trailer to include them all! Even the poster designers would have to figure out a way to design something striking and leave room for the bazillion actors’ names!
He’s got his frequent collaborators – Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, and Tony Revolori; those he’s worked with at least once – Scarlett Johansson, Steve Park, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, and Rupert Friend, as well as newcomers to Wes World – Hong Chau, Matt Dillon, Margot Robbie, Jeff Goldblum, Hope Davis Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, AND Tom Hanks!
This marks Wes’ first film NOT starring Bill Murray since his directorial debut Bottle Rocket in 1996, apparently he had to bow down because he got Covid when production started and was replaced by Carell. Can’t say I’ll miss him, to be honest.
Asteroid City will premiere at Cannes Film Festival later this May before its US theatrical release on June 16.
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Yeah, I’m going to see this. It’s Wes Anderson and he puts my ass in the seat though I didn’t get the chance to see his last film in the theaters as I ended up waiting for it on HBO as it was good but one of his weaker films.
Yeah, Wes’ films aren’t always great, my faves are still Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr Fox, but they’re mostly watchable. I sure hope this one will be another great one!
I don’t think we’ll have spring this year, it’s almost April and we’re still getting rain and snow storm and freezing temps. We’ll jump right into summer once May arrives. Lol!
I’m not the biggest fan of Wes Anderson, couldn’t even remember the last film I saw from him. But this one looks great and I’ll definitely see it when it comes out on streaming.