The Phoenician Scheme – A Wes Anderson Comedy-Thriller
Releasing on June 20, 2025, The Phoenician Scheme is a 2D English-language film directed, produced, and written by Wes Anderson, with a score by the iconic Alexandre Desplat. Blending action, comedy, drama, and thriller elements, this visually rich tale of loyalty, deception, and eccentricity runs 1 hour and 43 minutes and is rated UA16+.
A star-studded ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Riz Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Michael Cera, and Mia Threapleton brings to life a narrative as peculiar and layered as only Anderson can craft.
Plot Synopsis
The Phoenician Scheme centers around Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro), the enigmatic head of a family-run multinational enterprise that trades in rare maps, political favors, and ancient artifacts. When a dubious deal involving a 4th-century Phoenician relic goes awry, Korda’s empire is threatened from within—and without.
His estranged daughter, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton), now a nun with a mysterious past, reenters the fray just as chaos unfolds. Meanwhile, Bjørn Lund (Michael Cera), an offbeat Norwegian entomologist, accidentally uncovers coded insect patterns pointing to the scheme’s darkest secrets.
Adding to the madness are Prince Farouk (Riz Ahmed), an exiled royal financing Korda’s operation for his own geopolitical comeback, and Leland (Tom Hanks), a skeptical American investor from Sacramento who suspects the entire business is a scam. Reagan (Bryan Cranston), a former intelligence agent turned family confidant, pulls strings and occasionally unravels them.
As double-crosses pile up, fortunes vanish, and family wounds reopen, the film spirals into a stylish and witty finale that is as much about personal redemption as it is about corporate deception.
Cast & Characters
- Benicio del Toro as Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda – A shadowy patriarch balancing power and paranoia.
- Mia Threapleton as Sister Liesl – A nun with a past and unfinished business with her father.
- Michael Cera as Bjørn Lund – A clueless scientist caught in a web of espionage.
- Riz Ahmed as Prince Farouk – A charming exile with global ambitions.
- Tom Hanks as Leland – A no-nonsense investor questioning his stake in the madness.
- Bryan Cranston as Reagan – A retired spook who knows too much to stay uninvolved.
Crew Highlights
- Director/Producer/Writer: Wes Anderson
- Writer/Executive Producer: Roman Coppola
- Music: Alexandre Desplat
Anderson reunites with longtime collaborators Roman Coppola and Alexandre Desplat to deliver a film full of symmetry, pastels, deadpan humor, and unexpected poignancy.
Themes and Style
- Eccentric Family Ties – Estrangement, reconciliation, and the fragility of trust.
- Satirical Globalism – A whimsical critique of money, geopolitics, and exploitation.
- Visual Signature – Precision set design, vibrant palettes, and iconic tracking shots.
- Existential Humor – Absurdity meets introspection in true Anderson fashion.
Why You Can’t Miss It
- Wes Anderson at His Best – A narrative masterclass laced with wit and melancholy.
- All-Star Ensemble – A dynamic cast delivering nuanced and memorable performances.
- Unexpected Thrills – Spies, relics, maps, and bugs in a genre-melding plot.
- A Treat for Cinephiles – Vintage aesthetics, layered subtext, and musical brilliance.
Don’t miss The Phoenician Scheme—a tale of identity, inheritance, and insect-coded espionage—releasing June 20, 2025. Book your tickets for an unforgettable cinematic journey.
