The Phoenician Scheme Cannes photo call

Wes Anderson interviews in Hollywood Reporter and Times

Hollywood Reporter

Speaking to this year’s Cannes, where did the story for The Phoenician Scheme come from?

I had an idea that I actually brought up to Benicio at Cannes when we showed The French Dispatch. We talked about it briefly, and 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. I could just see him in it; I could see him and his sunglasses. But one of the main inspirations — along with a handful of real European businessmen — but the more personal connection is my wife’s father [Fouad Malouf]. He’s Lebanese, and he was an amazing kind of larger-than-life figure, and I really loved him. The thing about him was he was somebody who is wise and very intelligent, but a little bit scary. It was always good to walk into a restaurant with him because everything got taken care of immediately. There are many details of this character that draw on him.

Times

The next film, The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), starred a cantankerous Gene Hackman. “Gene was very annoyed about the money,” Anderson says. “He was furious. Also, he didn’t want to do the film anyway. I talked him into it — I just didn’t go away.” With Hackman on board, Anderson cast Gwyneth Paltrow and Anjelica Huston. “And everybody else said yes to the salary, so Gene just went with it — and that just became our way.”

Hackman died this year, aged 95, making The Royal Tenenbaums his last great film. Did Anderson stay in touch? “Not a word,” he says. “In fact he left without saying goodbye. He was grumpy — we had friction. He didn’t enjoy it. I was probably too young and it was annoying to him.”

The last time Anderson spoke to Hackman was after the film’s release. “And he liked it,” the director says, beaming. “But he told me he didn’t understand it when we were shooting.” He sighs. “I wish I’d shown him ten minutes, early on. Then, maybe, he would have said, ‘OK, I get it.’”

No whining/no crying

An interesting parallel
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Poster reveal for The Phoenician Scheme!

From /r/wesanderson: “Wes Anderson’s exhibition in Paris is AMAZING!”

Wes Anderson’s exhibition in Paris is AMAZING! (our photos inside)
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Wes Anderson exhibit at Cinémathèque Française 

credit: Stéphane Dabrowski / La Cinémathèque Française

Media Coverage

Exhibit Tour

The Phoenician Scheme is an official selection for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Link

Limited edition Wes Anderson vinyls from The Vinyl Factory

“Each record is pressed on 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl, with 350gsm matt laminated outer sleeve and 350gsm silk matt laminated inner card. The releases are housed in protective PVC sleeves and are limited to 1000 copies wordwide.” The art is magnificent. Note that each vinyl has two songs. More here.

First photos from The Phoenician Scheme