In 2023, Wes Anderson aimed his hyper-stylized lens at the American Southwest with Asteroid City, asking audiences to consider what would happen if a friendly alien were to visit a small desert town. Now, he’s turning his focus on a complex father-daughter relationship with The Phoenician Scheme, the prolific director’s twelfth feature film.
The absurdist, action-packed film, which was shot in Germany, stars Benicio del Toro as a business magnate and Mia Threapleton as his nun/daughter. Here’s everything we know about The Phoenician Scheme so far:
What is The Phoenician Scheme about?
The official logline for the film is: “The story of a family and a family business.” Based on the trailer (below), that simple premise is underselling the story, which centers Del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda, a “maverick in the fields of armaments and aviation” and “one of the richest men in Europe.” He’s working on the “Korda Land and Sea Phoenician Infrastructure Scheme,” but he’s being thwarted by powerful forces at every turn. He has ten children, including one daughter, a nun (Threapleton, who happens to be Kate Winslet’s daughter), whom he designates the sole heir to his estate. In typical Anderson fashion, it’s all very analog and a bit twee.
Who’s in the cast?
In addition to Benicio del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda and Mia Threapleton as his daughter, the cast features Michael Cera as her tutor, Bjorn. There are also several returning Anderson favorites with a few new faces mixed in, including: Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, and Hope Davis.
Michael Cera and Mia Threapleton in The Phoenician Scheme
Is there a trailer?
The official trailer for The Phoenician Scheme dropped Monday, April 7. Watch below:
When is The Phoenician Scheme release date?
The Phoenician Scheme hits theaters Friday, May 30, 2025.
