Wes Anderson Dazzles Cannes with The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson has captivated audiences once again at the Cannes Film Festival, unveiling his eagerly awaited film The Phoenician Scheme at the prestigious Lumière Theatre. In a rather unconventional entrance, Anderson and his ensemble—which includes acclaimed actors Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, and Riz Ahmed—arrived by bus on a memorable Sunday night.
The star-studded cast was greeted by a plethora of fans as they gathered on the Palais steps, joined by familiar faces like Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bill Murray, Rupert Friend, co-writer Roman Coppola, and celebrated composer Alexandre Desplat. This gathering marked Anderson’s fourth premiere at Cannes, adding to his previous appearances with Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The French Dispatch (2021), and Asteroid City (2023).
This year’s Cannes Film Festival has seen a range of reactions, especially concerning its competitive titles, which have generally met with lukewarm responses. However, Anderson’s film received a commendable six-minute standing ovation, moving Mia Threapleton to tears as she embraced Michael Cera amid the applause. The atmosphere turned festive before the screening, with the cast reflecting on their experiences while bidding farewell to the weekend along the Croisette.
Storyline and Inspiration Behind The Phoenician Scheme
The Phoenician Scheme, set to hit theaters on May 30 through Focus Features, stars Benicio del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, a European millionaire entangled in an empire built on questionable business ethics. Anderson shared insights with The Hollywood Reporter, noting, “I didn’t really know what it was, but I had the image of Benicio playing a Euro business tycoon, like somebody in an Antonioni movie.” He elaborated, “One of the main inspirations—along with a handful of real European businessmen—was my wife’s father, Fouad Malouf, a Lebanese figure who was truly larger-than-life.”
The narrative thickens as del Toro’s character, having narrowly escaped a series of assassination attempts, names his estranged daughter Liesl—an aspiring nun played by Threapleton—as his heir. The film features returning Anderson collaborators such as Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, and Tom Hanks, adding to the film’s extensive talent pool.
Casting Insights and Creative Process
Reflecting on her experience in this ensemble, Threapleton expressed her excitement while speaking to THR about her role, stating, “As a performer, it was amazing to play around within the scenes and try different things out with the sheer volume of talented people that he amasses.”
The Phoenician Scheme is alongside a lineup of spectacular premieres at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 13 to May 24, including films like Die, My Love, Eddington, The Chronology of Water, Nouvelle Vague, and Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.