Isle of Dogs, a new animated film by Wes Anderson, has secured a 2018 release date. For fans of the filmmaker, the arrival of a new film from the six-time Oscar nominated writer/director is always a huge deal. Anderson has built up a dedicated and highly appreciative fanbase over the years, working with many of the biggest names in Hollywood in the process. But aside from his more indie/art-house following, it’s Anderson’s most recent work that has really increased his acclaim and mainstream attention.
The director's last two films - Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel - both brought in record-breaking per-theater-averages upon their respective releases, making it seem as though Anderson’s films are entering a new era of recognition. And while it hasn’t been long since Isle of Dogs - Anderson’s follow up to The Grand Budapest Hotel – was first announced, excitement for the new film is palpable. So far we know the film is stop-motion animation, as well as a little about the plot and the film’s amazing cast, but to date we haven’t been able to find out exactly when Anderson’s latest will be arriving in theaters.
Now thanks to Fox Searchlight, not only do we have confirmation that Isle of Dogs will hit theaters on April 20th, 2018, but we also have a new poster to show off. The poster (below) highlights the film’s Japanese setting, which focuses on a young boy who goes off in search of his lost dog. Anderson had previously suggested that Isle of Dogs is inspired by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Whether or not audiences will agree with that comparison, this first poster certainly has the look of a Japanese film down.
Filming on Isle of Dogs has been taking place since last October and to date we know that the cast includes familiar collaborators like Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum and Tilda Swinton, but also new additions in Scarlett Johansson, Greta Gerwig, Yoko Ono, Bryan Cranston (Power Rangers) and Liev Schreiber (The 5th Wave). The revelation that Isle of Dogs would be made with stop-motion animation came as a surprise to many, as numerous rumors had previously persisted about what would be next for Anderson - though none of them involved directing another animated film. Not that animation hasn’t brought Anderson success in the past, however – his 2009 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox was a bona fide hit, showcasing a new side to the filmmaker and gaining him new fans in the process.
Still, with animated filmmaking what it currently is, it seems there’s never any shortage of first-rate films to enjoy. Why Anderson feels the need to tackle this genre yet again might be a source of disappointment for some of his fans. For many, Anderson’s appeal is found in the manner by which he captures life’s rich detail and eccentricities. His attention to this detail and endless creativity has given audiences characters, images and dialogue rich in content and structure. As such, it’s understandable why fans would want more live-action stories than animated ones.
At the same time, Anderson’s talents are such that they can imbue an animated story with the realism and depth typically only seen in live action stories. Judging by the images we’ve seen thus far for Isle of Dogs, the animation style – despite being stop-motion – isn’t going to simply be a rehash of what we saw in Fantastic Mr. Fox. That alone makes this next effort an exciting one.
Source: Fox Searchlight
