The World of Wes Anderson
credit: r/wesanderson
From a great interview with Inverse:
When I'm making a movie what I'm focusing on is the story, the characters, what's different about that movie. But what ties them together is something to do with me, and it's almost like my handwriting, [the] visual thing. It's the surface of the movie, but I get that it takes people about five seconds before they can say, "I know who directed this." I don't choose that so much as that's just what it's like when I do it. And I like that people can be inspired to make their own things that way. I'm not imitating me. I am me. So sometimes I feel a bit like I get put on the defensive because I am not a meme. I am myself. I'm the actual me. I'm not an AI.
From Montblac, producer of the world’s finest pens (and some other stuff):
“We are proud to present “Let’s Write,” the next chapter in our ongoing collaboration with visionary filmmaker Wes Anderson. The new campaign, with a short film by Wes Anderson, returns to the Montblanc Observatory High-Mountain Library in a literal, metaphorical, and poetic journey—one that celebrates writing, creativity, and Montblanc’s unique spirit of storytelling.”
“Let’s Write”
Director: Wes Anderson
Actors: Rupert Friend, Michael Cera, Wes Anderson, Waris Ahluwalia & Esther McGregor.
Co-director: Roman Coppola
Producers: Jeremy Dawson & John Peet Production
Designers: Adam Stockhausen & Stephan Gessler
Director of Photography: Darius Khondji
Costume: Milena Canonero
Production: Babelsberg Production Group
AMERICAN EMPIRICAL PICTURES in association with THE DIRECTORS BUREAU
(We aren’t making any money from these. But if you want to support the site, please use our Amazon links!)
Wes Anderson x Alamo Drafthouse
Wes Anderson x Five Elephant x Sunst Studio
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME World Premiere and Photocall at @Festival_Cannes ?
— Focus Features (@FocusFeatures) May 19, 2025
Wes Anderson, Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Richard Ayoade, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rupert Friend take the stage. pic.twitter.com/RRA3dUoRZM
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.
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.’”
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