The Phoenician Scheme‘s release date has been revealed, and Wes Anderson’s next movie is confirmed for 2025. Anderson is the eight-time Academy Award-nominated auteur behind The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest H๏τel, and many more movies. While promoting his latest film, Asteroid City, in June 2023, Anderson began teasing his next project, The Phoenician Scheme, describing it as a “three-hander” adventure starring Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Bill Murray, and many more of his frequent collaborators. Filming took place from March to June 2024.

Now, the release date for Anderson’s next movie has been announced. Focus Features has acquired the distribution rights to The Phoenician Scheme and has set a limited theatrical release for May 30 before expanding wide a week later on June 6. Other movies dated for May 30 include Karate Kid: Legends and Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck. Another major release on June 6 is From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.

What The Phoenician Scheme’s Release Date Means For The Movie

Focus Features Is Sticking To A Successful Release Strategy

The Phoenician Scheme marks the third collaboration between Wes Anderson and Focus Features after Asteroid City and 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, both of which saw similar release strategies around the same time. His most recent film started with a limited theatrical release on June 16 before expanding wide a week later and ended up grossing $54 million, more than double its $25 million budget. Moonrise Kingdom, which made over $68 million on a $16 million budget, also had a limited release around the same time, May 25, before expanding.

Co-written by Andersons’ frequent collaborator Roman Coppola, The Phoenician Scheme is said to be the “story of a family and a family business.” Benicio del Toro stars as “one of the richest men in Europe,” Zsa-zsa Korda, alongside Mia Threapleton as his daughter and a nun, Sister Liesl, and Michael Cera as their tutor, Bjorn Lund. The supporting cast also includes many of Anderson’s frequent collaborators, such as Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Our Take On The Phoenician Scheme’s Release Date

It Should Be Another Success For Wes Anderson

By giving The Phoenician Scheme a limited theatrical release on May 30 before expanding wide a week later on June 6, Focus Features is simply sticking to a successful release strategy that has worked for Anderson’s past films, Asteroid City and Moonrise Kingdom. By following the “story of a family and a family business,” The Phoenician Scheme seems slightly reminiscent of The Royal Tenenbaums, which follows a family of eccentric geniuses. With a somewhat similar story and successful release strategy, The Phoenician Scheme should be another success for Anderson.

Source: Focus Features