Despite movies becoming increasingly formulaic and artistically uninspired in the post-Marvel Cinematic Universe era of filmmaking, there is still a litany of powerhouse directors that treat cinema like an art form. Without question, Wes Anderson is at the top of the list of visionary directors that are still active Hollywood. From his debut film, Anderson was earmarked for greatness by Martin Scorcese and has continued to shatter expectations throughout his career. Whether it's traditional live-action or animation, Anderson's keen eye for visuals and inventive approach to narrative have forged him into one of the most exciting artists in cinema.
Anderson has been on something of a hot streak in his last three films, and from the details emerging about his next film, Asteroid City, the auteur's epic run of projects is set to continue. With Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, and Willem Dafoe all serving as cast members, the film would have actively aim for awfulness to fail.
As reported by Variety, the acclaimed director's 11th feature film has been acquired for distribution by Focus Features, who have released the following official synopsis: Asteroid City is a poetic meditation on the meaning of life. It tells the story of a fictional American desert town circa 1955 and its Junior Stargazer convention, which brings together students and parents from across the country for scholarly competition, rest/recreation, comedy, drama, romance, and more. As always, the cast is stacked. Though plenty of the director's frequent collaborators are on board, including Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, and Tony Revolori, a number of newcomers are in the mix, such as Margot Robbie, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Hong Chau, Matt Dillon, Hope Davis, and Maya Hawke.
Thumbnail image: Martin Kraft (CC BY-SA 4.0)