Top 5 Wes Anderson movies to watch before The Phoenician Scheme hits theatres

Wes Anderson is a master of his craft. In the context of modern cinema, the auteur maintains a voice that is singular and specific to his films. The visuals in his movies are truly distinct, as is his habit of putting together an ensemble cast that has traditionally attracted many among Hollywood's A-list. The filmmaker's collaborators in the past have included Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, and the late Gene Hackman, among a host of other star-caliber actors.

In the latest news concerning Anderson’s work, the trailer for his upcoming project The Phoenician Scheme has just surfaced online. The film appears to be in the vein of his past entries, and also boasts a stellar cast to support a story that promises to be compelling.

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Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme — Everything we know

The Phoenician Scheme is an espionage black comedy film written and directed by Anderson. His co-writer for the story is Roman Coppola, with whom Anderson has collaborated on several films including The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom, The French Dispatch, and Isle of Dogs.

Anderson's upcoming film will feature an ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright and Benedict Cumberbatch. Most story details have been kept under wraps, with the official synopsis coming across as rather generic piece of information as of now, to maintain a sense of mystery. It simply says:

“The story of a family and a family business.”

In anticipation of his upcoming film, especially on the heels of the release of its first theatrical trailer, let us explore the top 5 Wes Anderson films to check out.

Please note: The following article, as well as the list of films featured, reflects the writer's personal opinion.

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The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is best described as a comedy drama, and was Anderson’s fourth feature-length film. The film follows the story of a once-great but aging oceanographer and filmmaker — the titular Steve Zissou — who is obsessed with a revenge mission to kill a shark that took the life of his partner. His crew for the mission includes his estranged wife, as well as several other quirky characters including one who may potentially be his illegitimate son.

Bill Murray plays the role of Steve Zissou and the cast includes stellar performers including Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum and Cate Blanchett. The music is a treat in the film, with Seu Jorge performing much of the film’s music live on camera as he doubles as one of the crew mates on the ship.

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The Royal Tennenbaums (2001)

The film is a family drama that is bleak at times. The Royal Tennenbaums marked Anderson’s first experience of box office success, and it follows a dysfunctional family whose patriarch leaves them in their adolescent years, and later returns in an attempt to reconcile, albeit under false pretences. Despite the situation, in his own way he attempts to work on repairing the damage done by his past actions on his children and ex-wife.

The film has an impressive cast including the late Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and brothers Owen and Luke Wilson — all delivering masterful performances. The Royal Tenenbaums was a groundbreaking film for Anderson, and remained his highest grossing film until the release of The Grand Budapest Hotel years later. In 2016, The Royal Tenenbaums was included in BBC's 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century.

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The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Set in India, The film was definitely one of Wes Anderson’s more ambitious career choices, especially at the time of its inception. It tells the story of three estranged brothers who agree to meet aboard a luxury train a year after the passing of their father, to embark on a spiritual journey and question their motivations and relationships.

The film is full of heart and driven by top performances from Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzmann who play the distant kin. The cast also features Bill Murray Anjelica Huston, and Natalie Portman in supporting roles. Anderson's later film Hotel Chevalier, also starring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman, acts as a prologue to The Darjeeling Limited.

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Isle of Dogs (2018)

Isle of Dogs is Anderson’s second stop-motion film, following 2009’s Roald Dahl-inspired Fantastic Mr. Fox. The film, released in 2018, is set in the fictional city of Megasaki, Japan, where all dogs have been banished due to a purported canine influenza pandemic. A young boy then sets out to find his missing dog with the help of a group of alienated strays.

The film stars Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Bryan Cranston, with Courtney B. Vance serving as the narrator of the film. The film garnered two nominations at the Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Animated Feature and Best Score.

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The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Considered by many as his magnum opus, the 2014 comedy drama, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is an absolute must-be on any ‘Best of’ Wes Anderson list. The film follows the story of a concierge at a prestigious fictional hotel who gets framed for murder and proceeds to embark on a quest with his new found protégé amidst a backdrop of sheer chaos.

The concierge is played by Ralph Fiennes alongside Anderson’s most prolific ensemble cast to date. Apart from Fiennes, the film has standout performances from all involved, including Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Tony Revolori, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan and several other top-tier performers who gave their all to their characters. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, and ultimately won four.

Anderson has treated the audience to his unique cinematic sensibilities for over 20 years and there is still so much yet to come. As of now, eager fans await The Phoenician Scheme, which is slated to drop in theatres on May 29, 2025.