CULTURE

Margot Robbie Joins Tom Hanks in Wes Anderson’s Next Film

by Kyle Munzenrieder

Margot Robbie in a pink coat.
Photo by Tim Walker

Please welcome the newest member of Wes Anderson’s whimsical world of eccentric cinema: Margot Robbie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Suicide Squad star has signed on to Anderson’s next project. While many details about both the film and Robbie’s part are still under wraps, it’s yet another feather in the cap for the star—who, just last week, expressed worry that she may have already peaked in Hollywood.

Robbie is now one of two big names that will be making their Anderson debut in the next project. Confirmed Hollywood icon Tom Hanks will also be joining, as will Anderson regulars Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, and Adrien Brody. More casting news is sure to come.

Little is known about the project, but it will film in Spain starting in either late August or early September. Construction of sets began earlier this year in the small town of Chinchón, located less than an hour away from Madrid. But it’s believed that the film itself won’t necessarily be set in Spain. Reports have described the sets as having an American Western motif—though that also comes with the caveat that the film isn’t necessarily a Western, either. (Anderson himself is now based in Paris, so it wouldn’t be completely surprising for him to film an American-set film in Europe).

The role is Robbie’s latest milestone. Ever since 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street, the Australian actress has successfully balanced commercial Hollywood success with growing critical acclaim. She received her first Oscar nomination in the leading actress category for 2018’s I, Tonya, and scored a second in 2020 in the supporting race for Bombshell. Her filmography already includes collaborations with sanctified film Twitter heroes like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Adam McKay. She’s already shot upcoming projects with La La Land director Damien Chazelle (she’ll play Hollywood’s original ‘It’ girl Clara Bow in Babylon) and the upcoming movie from David O. Russell. In 2022, she’s scheduled to begin production on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie (co-written, of course, with Noah Baumbach). Robbie mused last week that she hoped she hadn’t peaked only because there were more directors she wished she could work with, but it seems like she’s been quite successful in that regard lately.