Wes Anderson's upcoming film Asteroid City now has a release date. The film sees Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie making their collaborative debuts with Anderson. Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, and Adrien Brody, on the other hand, are returning to work once again with the seven-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker.
Just over a year after production wrapped on the project, Focus Features has announced that Wes Anderson's new movie Asteroid City is set to release next summer. The romantic dramedy has been scheduled for a limited theatrical run on June 16, 2023, while its wide release is set for June 23. Universal Pictures will handle the film's international distribution.
Everything We Know About Asteroid City
The official synopsis from Focus Features reads that Asteroid City will be a poetic meditation on the meaning of life. It will tell the story of a fictional American desert town circa 1955 and its Junior Stargazer convention. The event brings together students and parents from across the country for scholarly competition, rest/recreation, comedy, drama, romance, and more.
This will mark the first time Hanks and Robbie work with Anderson. As said before, returning to work with the writer-director are Swinton, Norton and Brody; also returning to collaborate with Anderson are Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Jeffrey Wright and Fisher Stevens. Asteroid City rounds its cast with an exceptional ensemble, including Bryan Cranston, Hong Chau, Hope Davis, Matt Dillon, Jeff Goldblum, Maya Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, Grace Edwards, Ethan Lee, Sophia Lillis, Stephen Park, Tony Revolori, Liev Schreiber and Rita Wilson. Both Asteroid City's cast and synopsis promise another rich story with vibrant characters in a period rife for Anderson's quirky sensibilities.
Why Asteroid City's Release Is Trouble
Asteroid City, however, finds itself with release dates that warrant a cause for concern. It opens the same day Warner Bros. plans to release its upcoming superhero installment, The Flash. A week after, the film goes head-to-head against Disney's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. These present a big challenge for Anderson and Focus Features as its two competitors are highly anticipated, with The Flash being a superhero film that has been in the works for years, while Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny rides the legacy of the Harrison Ford-led franchise, already have a leg up against Asteroid City. As much as Anderson is adored by film buffs, and as good as his brilliantly directed films are, providing strong box office numbers against The Flash and Indiana Jones and The Dial and Destiny is an ambitious goal to achieve.
It's highly likely that Anderson isn't focused too much on commercial success, and given the reported budget for Asteroid City is only $25 million, the film doesn't need to be a blockbuster to break even and be profitable. With Anderson's beloved filmography so far, it's probable that Asteroid City will come out at least a modest success alongside its competitors.