UPDATED: Daniel Richtman is reporting that we’re getting a trailer for Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” next Wednesday.
EARLIER: Last we heard about “Asteroid City,” it had been rated R for “Brief Graphic Nudity.” Of course, Focus decided to appeal the MPAA designation. The aim is PG-13, as they want this film seen by as many heads as possible, and rightfully so.
Last year, Focus Features bought “Asteroid City” for domestic distribution. They released an ambiguous synopsis in the process, but now we have a new, more-detailed synopsis:
Thousands of years ago an asteroid fell from the sky, creating a huge crater, in the centercentre of which a piece of asteroid rock remains. Once a year, a convention is held on the site, attracting astronomers, teachers, familes with would-be teenage astronomers – as well as military personel personnel. As the stars begin to align, events occur which are startling, and completely unexpected. This is Anderson at his comic best; it is also suffused with the grief caused by the death of the mother of one of the families – giving the film a profound emotional impact.
Some on-set photos had also been revealed (before being taken down by Focus Features). They all contained the meticulous attention to detail that we expect from Anderson, but set in the 1950s.
The star-studded cast features Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie in their Anderson film debuts, plus Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Grace Edwards, Aristou Meehan, Sophia Lillis, Ethan Lee, Jeff Goldblum and Rita Wilson.
How many of these are we thinking will be cameos? Oh, and where’s Bill Murray? Did his scenes get snipped after last year’s #MeToo incident? They claim it’s because he had COVID and got recast.
Even stranger, Murray was livestreamed at the last NYFF alongside Anderson, Adrian Brody, and others from the set of “Asteroid City”. Not only that, he’s the one who revealed the title of the film during a BFI Q&A last November.
“Asteroid City,” which wrapped production last October, and will be released June 23rd. A Cannes premiere is practically sealed for this one.
Before practically going bankrupt, Row K had planned to release "Cliffhanger" in August 2026 on more than 3000 screens nationwide — hopefully with Vertical it hits as many theaters.