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The Phoenician Scheme

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, F. Murray Abraham, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Murray

Rating: Can’t Be Rated

I don’t like the cinema of Wes Anderson. It reminds me of those disjointed incoherent self consciously capricious film-school projects where the student wants to let the world he doesn’t care a fig about the rules.

Continuing his flabbergasting quest for the crest of quirkiness, Wes Anderson has now come up with The Phoenician Scheme a film that rattles all rationale and stirs up a storm in a teacup. Like other Anderson oddities this one too is visualized in cartoonstrip colours, mostly pale green, and a mood of mythologized satire , which itself is problematic for any serious viewing.

The...

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in August. The Peacock August 2025 schedule includes Borderline, Love Island: Beyond the Villa, the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion, The Phoenician Scheme, Twisted Metal Season 2, and more.

August kicks off with two must-see movie premieres. The Phoenician Scheme (streaming July 25) follows a ruthless European tycoon (Benicio del Toro) who narrowly survives an assassination attempt and sets off on a globetrotting adventure with his estranged daughter (Mia Threapleton) and her eccentric tutor (Michael Cera).

Love Island USA

Then on August 1, buckle up for Borderline, a twisted thriller from Cocaine Bear‘s Jimmy Warden starring Ray Nicholson as a deranged stalker and Samara Weaving as a ’90s pop star fighting for her life—and freedom—from a forced “wedding.”

On the series front, the action continues to ramp up throughout August on...

Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Buccaneers” Season 2, Episode 6.

Jinny St. George learned the hard way that Lord James Seadown has not changed as she might have wished after her time away in “The Buccaneers.”

After fleeing to Italy to hide out from her abusive husband and protect her son, Seadown (Barney Fishwick) found her and attempted to weasel his way back into her good graces. His coaxing could only go so far though, and when Jinny wouldn’t budge, he took what he knew she loved most — their son Freddie.

This is where Episode 6 of the Apple TV+ series took a grim turn. Immy Waterhouse, who plays the exiled Duchess’ sister and wife to Seadown, unpacked how she prepared for her character’s mammoth installment.

“The Buccaneers” actress told TheWrap that for the relationship to dissolve in the way it did it was important for her and Barney...

Spoiler Alert: This piece spoils Episode 6 of The Buccaneers Season 2.

As the tension between Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) and her estranged husband Lord James Seadown (Barney Fishwick) reaches its peak in the sixth episode of Season 2, things take a turn as not everyone survives the ongoing battle between the couple for custody of their son Freddie.

Seadown, a verbally and physically abusive man who first mistreated Lizzy Elmsworth (Aubri Ibrag) in Season 1, began to hit Jinny after they married, causing Jinny’s half sister Nan (Kristine Froseth) and their friends to band together, distract Seadown and send pregnant Jinny away in a carriage with Nan’s love Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome) while Nan made the ultimate sacrifice to marry Theo (Guy Remmers), Duke of Tintagel in the Season 1 finale.

As of Episode 6 Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan) has become a casualty of the fray, dying by gunshot at the hands of his brother.

Hold onto your hats, corsets and gowns! Season 2 of The Buccaneers is nearly upon us.

Apple TV+’s period television show, based on the unfinished novel by Edith Wharton, was renewed for a second seaon early after its arrival at the end of 2023. Starring Kristine Frøseth as Nan St. George, Matthew Broome as Guy Thwarte, Guy Remmers as Theo, Christina Hendricks as Mrs. Patricia St. George and more, last season saw Nan make a difficult decision between two men — Guy and Theo, the Duke of Tintagel.

Find the full rollout and release schedule for new episodes of The Buccaneers Season 2 below:

When does The Buccaneers Season 2 premiere on Apple TV+?

Season 2 of The Buccaneers arrives on Apple TV+ Wednesday, June 18 with only the first episode.

How many episodes are in Season 2 of The Buccaneers?

Season 2 will contain eight episodes, just like last season.

When will new episodes of The Buccaneers...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for The Buccaneers Season 2, Episode 6, “Every Single Piece of My Heart.”] The Buccaneers takes a dark turn in its latest episode, “Every Single Piece of My Heart,” which sees Richard (Josh Dylan) and his sister Honoria (Mia Threapleton) set off to save Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) and baby Freddie from the clutches of her vengeful husband James (Barney Fishwick). While the episode’s beginning sees Jinny return to London after her brief escape, running away to safety in Italy with her sister Nan’s (Kristine Frøseth) true love, Guy (Matthew Broome), it also finds her in close proximity to James, who stole their child in a ploy to trap her. Initially, upon Jinny’s return, she maintains a low profile, speaking directly to a reporter who is summoned to speak with her at Richard and Conchita’s (Alisha Boe) home. Jinny relays that she ran away because she was abused and only...

A new Wes Anderson comedy will soon be available on streaming. The celebrated director of The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel is known for employing memorable color palettes and production designs and for incorporating unique humor into his narratives.

Anderson's film slate, including Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs, has garnered him a devoted following and several Academy Award nominations. His movies have largely received praise, and some, notably The Grand Budapest Hotel, have also been commercial hits.

Since debuting, Anderson has accumulated impressive scores on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighted by Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom, both at 93%. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, a short film starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Ralph Fiennes, presently stands at 95% and marks the highest-scoring Tomatometer for Anderson.

The Phoenician Scheme Gets A Streaming Release Date The Anderson Comedy Is Coming To Peacock

The most recent movie from Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme,...

“It’s not witchcraft… What matters is the sincerity of your devotion.”

In “The Phoenician Scheme,” Liesl (Mia Threapleton) tells her arms-dealer father, Zsa-zsa Korda, this aboard his private jet. It feels like classic Wes Anderson. Quirky. Precise. A nun advising a tycoon. Yet, beneath the pastel surfaces and deadpan delivery, something deeper stirs. Wes Anderson plunges us into a world where billionaires play basketball for billion-dollar deals and celestial courts judge earthly sins. Imagine “Succession” filtered through a kaleidoscope, then dropped in a war zone. The usual Anderson whimsy feels charged, dangerous even. What kind of reckoning is brewing in Phoenicia?

Wes Anderson peppers his latest with revolutionaries. Picture Richard Ayoade, gaunt in tweed, railing against “bourgeois exploitation.” His Marxist fervor is passionate. However, it also seems hilariously impotent. His grand speech happens amidst candy-colored dioramas. Anderson’s signature whimsy turns serious critique into a toy rebellion.

Furthermore, this...

Apple TV+’s The Buccaneers has taken the period drama by storm, establishing itself as one of the boldest shows of the genre. Despite being historically accurate with regards to the rule-bound high society of London, it rejects the conventions that obstructed it from pushing the limits of storytelling. This unique blend of mixing tradition with contemporary ideas has made Season 1 a rebel that has left some people scratching their heads.

With Season 2 of the show here, people are excited to watch it. Well, the plot and cast definitely have a big part in it. Moreover, to expand its reach, the Apple TV+ Original has found a temporary shelter in Prime Video. With that being said, the real question remains: When can we stream it?

Release Date of The Buccaneers on Prime Video

When Apple TV+ premiered The Buccaneers, it intoxicated the fantasy drama connoisseurs, featuring some picturesque shots of...

“The Phoenician Scheme”, ‘black comedy’ feature, written and directed by Wes Anderson, stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, F. Murray Abraham, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe and Bill Murray, streaming July 25, 2025 on Peacock:

“…in 1950, arms dealer, industrialist ‘Zsa-Zsa Korda’ narrowly survives an assassination attempt. While unconscious, he enters the afterlife, where a divine court judges his worthiness to enter ‘Heaven’.

“Knowing he cannot run forever, Korda tries to mend his relationship with his only daughter, Catholic novice ‘Sister Liesl’…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme will begin streaming on Peacock on Certified Fresh on Friday, July 25.

That’s a 56-day theatrical window on par with the filmmaker’s previous Focus Features 2023 title Asteroid City‘s screen-to-Peacock premiere.

The Phoenician Scheme follows wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) who is on the run and wanted by myriad governments, the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins. In the midst of chaos he appoints his estranged and only daughter, a nun (Mia Threapleton), to be the sole heir of his estate. She also gets pulled into his globe trotting.

The pic also stars Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Phoenician Scheme repped Anderson’s third movie with Focus Features after 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom and Asteroid City.

Following a 7 1/2 minute standing ovation in Cannes,...

The biggest new title of the week is undoubtedly James Gunn’s “Superman,” which hits theaters nationwide Friday. That does not mean, though, that there aren’t some exciting and noteworthy streaming movies and TV series premiering this week. On the contrary, multiple major, promising shows are coming to Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, Hulu and Disney+.

With that in mind, here are the eight best new movies and shows that you can stream this week.

Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton in The Phoenician Scheme (Focus Features) “The Phoenician Scheme” (2025)

“The Phoenician Scheme” is another playful, exuberantly made ensemble comedy from writer-director Wes Anderson. The “Asteroid City” filmmaker’s latest effort follows a wealthy businessman (a perfectly cast Benicio Del Toro) whose decision to appoint his estranged daughter, a nun (Mia Threapleton), as the sole heir to his estate ends up sending them on a life-and-death journey.

In the weeks since it hit theaters,...

With his highly contrasting and colorful worlds, Wes Anderson is an acclaimed director who recently released a film titled The Phoenician Scheme. Despite a stellar cast of Benicio del Toro (Sicario), Michael Cera (Superbad), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), the film missed one of its most important marks: oligarchy.

Many people claim that the movie was about materialistic wealth or what the work industry is like right now. Although they aren’t wrong to point out all those things, it seems that Wes Anderson couldn’t fully explore the oligarchy part of his movie.

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme‘s Convoluted Tale Misses the Mark on Oligarchy

When wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) decides to make his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) his sole heir, the two embark on a journey to get finances for a massive infrastructure project called the “Phoenician Scheme,” which would be made with slave labour.

The Phoenician Scheme is finally winding down its theatrical run after grossing $35 million at the worldwide box office, but the film just got easier for everyone to watch, even at home. Universal Pictures has officially announced that The Phoenician Scheme is now available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Prime Video or Fandango at Home. To celebrate the news, Collider has even partnered with the studio to bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette showing director Wes Anderson sing the praises of leading star Benicio del Toro, and also explain how he settled on casting a relative newcomer among a roster of stars like Mia Threapleton. The featurette, along with information about the film’s digital release, can be found below.

In addition to del Toro and Threapleton, Anderson recruited a star-studded roster of talent to bring The Phoenician Scheme to life, though this isn’t uncommon for the director.

Stars: Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston | Written by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola | Directed by Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson made his directorial debut in 1996 with Bottle Rocket. Now, almost 30 years later, he’s released his 12th feature film. Anderson emerged from the 1990s wave of remarkable American directors, most famously Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson. In the time Wes Anderson has been making movies, he’s been more prolific than his two contemporaries. PTA has released nine feature films in the same period, and Tarantino nine over a slightly longer stretch (his debut arriving in 1992). The result of working so consistently has been a brilliant filmography over the last three decades, in which the unique director has still never let his genius slip.

For the three decades Anderson has been making movies, there have always been...

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If you are ready to see the much-anticipated next chapter of the beloved Apple TV+ series The Buccaneers. Based on the unfinished novel of the same name by Edith Wharton, the series was adapted into a television series by Katherine Jakeways. In Season 2, we will see our young American Buccaneers beginning a new chapter in their lives while trying to be there for each other.

The Buccaneers Season 2 – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Come Out?) Credit – Apple TV+

The Buccaneers Season 2 consists of eight episodes in total. The historical drama series premiered on Apple TV+, with its first episode on June 18, 2025, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Wednesday. Check out the full episode guide of The Buccaneers Season 2 below:

Episode 1 “The Duchess of Tintagel” – June 18, 2025 Episode 2 “Holy Grail” – June 25, 2025 Episode 3 “Get Her...

(L to R) Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, a Focus Features release.

Credit: Courtesy of Tps Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved. With more and more movies being made on virtual sets, director Wes Anderson still likes to do things the old-fashioned way. His new movie, The Phoenician Scheme, is no different. One of the film’s stars, Michael Cera, said when he read the script, he didn’t know how they’d be able to shoot on practical sets, and he was amazed when he saw the sets they’d be filming on. (Click on the media bar below to hear Michael Cera.) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Michsel_Cera_The-Phoenician-Scheme_Practical_Sets_.mp3 The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in theaters.

The post Filming ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ Had Michael Cera In Awe appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Nan St. George has officially become the Duchess of Tintagel, as Season 2 of Apple TV+’s “The Buccaneers” picks up minutes from where its first season concluded.

Her new title is not the only thing that the protagonist must contend with as she enters this new stage in her life. Nan (Kristine Froseth) married Theo (Guy Remmers) for the security of her social status, but her heart still remains with Guy after she slept with him the night before her wedding.

Her sister Jinny escaped her abusive husband Lord James Seadown with Nan’s love interest Guy to protect her. And Nan’s birth mother, who she has never met, attended her wedding.

The duchess has found herself in a new heap of messes to say the least.

“The Buccaneers” returned to Apple TV+ Wednesday for its second season. In additon to the show’s season regulars, this season will feature new guest stars,...

At long last, Season 2 of The Buccaneers is almost here on Apple TV+ to pick up with the titular young American women after their explosion onto the scene in Gilded Age London back in 2023. Although things began in high spirits as the ambitious and extroverted friends navigated English high society and courted suitors, the Season 1 finale left things on a bleak note, with each of the women forced to accept a reality they did not desire. Chief among them is Nan (Kristine Frøseth), who marries a man she doesn't love to become the Duchess of Tintagel, the most influential woman in the country, to protect her sister, Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse), from the wrath of her abusive husband. Collider now has an exclusive sneak peek from the premiere showing how Nan is dealing with the fallout of giving up the rest of her life with a little support from Conchita (Alisha Boe...

From the curtain closing on the “Rushmore” cast dancing in a high school gym to Gwyneth Paltrow coming off the bus in “The Royal Tenenbaums,” Wes Anderson’s filmography is loaded with memorable slow-motion shots. The title sequence of “The Phoenician Scheme,” though, is arguably the most visually exacting and narratively layered in his filmography.

After initially being declared dead, Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) somehow survived his plane crashing in the film’s opening scene, and in the title sequence that follows, we see him back home in his bathtub. In a wide, high-angle shot, the camera pointed straight down, we watch in slow motion as a team of servants move in and out of frame, tending to the bandaged tycoon’s every need as he reads his book, smokes his cigar, drinks his wine, and listens to a record of composer Igor Stravinsky’s “Apollo” on turntable behind him.

Every Wes Anderson film is a new adventure for production designer Adam Stockhausen, who has collaborated with the director seven times, and won the Oscar for his work on “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” However, “The Phoenician Scheme” — a 1950s Byzantine espionage fable, inspired by the ancient Middle Eastern civilization — might be the most exotic yet.

The film stars Benicio del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, a larger-than-life European industrialist who survives several assassination attempts while trying to carry out the titular land project of epic proportions. Korda is inspired by Armenian oil baron Calouste Gulbenkian and Lebanese businessman Fouad Malouf, who is Anderson’s father-in-law. At its core, though, “The Phoenician Scheme” is a tender father-daughter story, with Mia Threapleton portraying Zsa-Zsa’s estranged Liesl, who happens to be a nun.

“I love the story and was immediately excited about the scope and journey Zsa-Zsa takes us on,” Stockhausen told IndieWire.

Composer Alexandre Desplat plays “Happy Birthday to You” on his keyboard — but with a twist: the final note on “you” is higher than in the traditional melody.

It’s Igor Stravinsky’s “Greeting Prelude,” a serial variation of the familiar tune composed in 1955 for the 80th birthday of French conductor Pierre Monteux. This inventive transformation by the Russian composer inspired Desplat to, as he puts it, “bend” a piece from Stravinsky’s ballet “The Firebird” for the score of Wes Anderson’s “The Phoenician Scheme,” now playing in theaters.

“The seed of the score comes from a piece by Stravinsky, and there’s this little, short melody that I’ve used, and twisted and expanded,” Desplat tells Variety over Zoom. “When I started playing with that, I thought about what Stravinsky had done, and tried to stay in Stravinsky’s world.”

Desplat taps out a brief melody on his keyboard...

Michael Cera got the "biggest surprise" when he realised how much screen time he had in The Phoenician Scheme.The 36-year-old actor stars as Norwegian entomologist Bjorn in Wes Anderson's new film that centres on industrialist Zsa Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro), who, after surviving one another assassination attempts, names his daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) as his sole heir rather than his eight sons, and Michael admitted that it was a unexpected "thrill" to get to be in it for the whole thing. He told Entertainment Weekly: "The biggest surprise — when Wes sent me the script — I didn't expect to be along for the whole ride."And that was thrilling to get to watch Wes basically make this whole movie."The Barbie star also relished in getting the chance to work with the famed director as well as his co-stars.He added: "To collaborate with people like Wes...

On Monday June 9 2025, NBC broadcasts The Kelly Clarkson Show!

Season 6 Episode 166 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” promises an exciting lineup that fans will not want to miss. This episode features a mix of music, inspiring stories, and engaging conversations. Kelly Clarkson will kick things off with her popular segment, “Kellyoke,” where she will perform the song “You Lie.” This segment continues to showcase Kelly’s impressive vocal talent and her ability to connect with different songs.

Mark Hamill, known for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” franchise, will be a special guest on the show. His presence is sure to bring a lot of energy and fun, as he shares stories from his career and insights into his life in the spotlight. Fans of both “Star Wars” and Mark Hamill can look forward to hearing his thoughts and experiences.

Mia Threapleton,...

The Kelly Clarkson Show is rolling out a high-visibility guest lineup for the week of June 9, tapping into awards-season names, campaign trail energy, and buzzy cultural coverage—all anchored by its top-rated afternoon berth in syndication on NBC. Monday’s episode leads with Mark Hamill, still riding the genre legacy wave, alongside rising name Mia Threapleton. […]

The Kelly Clarkson Show Week of June 9: Mark Hamill, Sydney Sweeney, and Julianne Moore...

After joining Wes Anderson‘s list of frequent collaborators, Benicio del Toro might have unwillingly found himself on another list.

The Oscar winner, who stars in Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, revealed that the film’s script got him flagged for Tsa inspection during a flight, due to some suspicious scenes in the screenplay.

“I had the script in my carryon, I’m in Boston and I’m flying to LA,” he recalled on Late Night with Seth Meyers. “And for some reason, I had my computer in there, and I didn’t take it out, so the Tsa people, they just said, ‘Hey, we need to check your bag.’ ‘Sure.’ He opens the bag, he looks into it—and I take my scripts and I make the headings bigger, so I can get to it really quick.”

Del Toro noted, “The opening scene is ‘Interior Airplane: Bomb’. The second...

Director Wes Anderson has developed quite a sterling reputation for delivering movies that are unmistakably his, and also commercially bankable. But his post-pandemic run has been slightly underwhelming, especially when compared to the high benchmark that he set for himself with The Grand Budapest Hotel a decade or so ago. That movie concluded its run with over $170 million worldwide and is largely considered to be Anderson’s only crossover hit. His other films, including his latest, The Phoenician Scheme, have generally catered to his devoted fan base.

The movie expanded into wide release this weekend, following a record debut seven days ago in just six theaters. The Phoenician Scheme has grossed around $7 million domestically, and another $11 million from overseas markets, for a cumulative global haul of $18 million in around 10 days of release. Produced on a reported budget of $30 million, the movie is already set to overtake the $19 million lifetime global haul of Anderson’s Rushmore,...

“Ballerina” couldn’t twirl its way to the top of box office charts. The “John Wick” spinoff, starring Ana de Armas as a dancer-turned-assassin, launched slightly behind expectations with $25 million from 3,409 North American theaters.

The R-rated film opened in second place behind Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” which claimed the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive weekend with $32.5 million from 4,185 venues. The live-action reboot has generated $335.8 million domestically and $772 million globally and should soon become the year’s first billion-dollar release.

“Ballerina” earned a lackluster $26 million from 82 countries at the international box office for a global start of $51 million. Heading into the weekend, Lionsgate projected a domestic debut of $30 million for “Ballerina.” But even that would have been middling since the film cost $90 million to produce. Lionsgate typically covers two-thirds of its production budgets with international sales, which helps offset underperforming theatrical titles. However, the studio hopes that “Ballerina” will...

On Sunday June 8 2025, CBS broadcasts Made in Hollywood!

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina; The Phoenician Scheme; Dangerous Animals Season 20 Episode 35 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Made in Hollywood” titled “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina; The Phoenician Scheme; Dangerous Animals” promises an exciting lineup. This episode features a star-studded cast, including Ana de Armas, Benicio del Toro, Dan Stevens, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Jai Courtney, and Kevin Smith. Each actor brings their unique talent to the screen, making this episode a must-watch.

Ana de Armas takes center stage in the segment about “Ballerina,” diving into the world of action and intrigue that fans of the John Wick franchise have come to love. Her performance is expected to be captivating, showcasing her skills in both acting and action. The episode will likely explore the character’s journey and the challenges she faces in this dangerous world.

The...

It would seem like director Wes Anderson’s charm might be wearing off, going by the mediocre response that his latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, has been greeted with. Despite his popularity in cinephile circles, Anderson has largely struggled to crossover into the mainstream. And he doesn’t really need to. He’s been making movies with controlled budgets, earning massive critical acclaim, and generating respectable profits as well. The Phoenician Scheme, however, has opened with a lower CinemaScore grade than his recent projects, which could be a concern.

The movie earned a B- grade from the folks that watched it on its first day of wide release. The Phoenician Scheme debuted in six locations last week, predictably delivering the year’s best limited debut. It’s expected to gross around $6 million this weekend, which would be enough for a spot in the top five. Produced on a reported budget of $30 million,...

Kelly Clarkson scolded her audience on The Kelly Clarkson Show after unintentionally asking Benicio del Toro a suggestive question about a bathtub scene in The Phoenician Scheme. In the newest episode of her talk show, the American Idol alum sat down with del Toro to discuss the Wes Anderson flick. The movie premiered on May 31 and it follows a wealthy businessman, Zsa-zsa Korda (del Toro) after he names his only daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), a nun, as the heir to his estate. One scene features del Toro, 58, in a bathtub — something he and Clarkson, 43, discussed the logistics of during his appearance. “You get so into trying to figure out the riddle of getting it right that you just forget, and then the next day you’re all crinkly like a prune,” he explained of filming while being submerged in water. To that, Clarkson asked, “How do you not look like a prune by hour one?...

This article contains mild spoilers for "The Phoenician Scheme."

Ever since the fall of the Hays Code, violence has become the most common (and commonly accepted) transgressive element in American cinema. Where sexual content is still constantly avoided or diminished, general audiences have been trained not to blink an eye at a lot of blood being shed. Despite the common appearance of violence in cinema, most films have a rationale for its inclusion: either they're using violence as a fantastical element, or they're emphasizing its effects to raise dramatic stakes, or to horrify, and so on.

Yet while numerous movies draw particular attention to their violent aspects, there are relatively few that can maintain a consistent level of shock to their violence. One filmmaker who can claim the ability to do this is, of all people, Wes Anderson. On paper, it would seem obvious that any violence in Anderson's films would be shocking,...

The period drama series returns with a new lineup of episodes on Apple TV+ in June.

“The Buccaneers” may not offer the type of swashbuckling adventure the name suggests at first glance, but that doesn’t mean the show is in any way dull. The series follows a group of American girls who find themselves in a totally new world when they head to England, but they’re not likely to be intimidated. The show’s second season is almost ready to premiere, and we’ll fill you in on everything you need to know about it here!

Everything you need to know about ‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2

When does ‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 premiere?

Can you watch ‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 for free?

What will happen in Season 2 of ‘The Buccaneers’?

Watch a clip from ‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2

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What happened in Season 1 of ‘The Buccaneers’?

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Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Josh Westcott for Wbgr-fm on June 5th, 2025, reviewing the new film “The Phoenician Scheme,” a star-studded comedy by off-key master Wes Anderson. In theaters on June 6th.

The story deals with Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), a global entrepreneur who recruits his only daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) – a practical nun about to take her vows – to help execute a plan to corner the market through “The Phoenician Scheme,” a complex set of business deals that could pay off for 150 years. The scheme involves a series of partners who need to fill the funding gap, as it’s called, including Prince Farouk of Phoenicia (Riz Ahmed), brothers Leland and Reagan (Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston), Marsielle Bob (Mathieu Amaltric), shipping magnate Marty (Jeffrrey Wright), Cousin Hilda (Scarlett Johansson) and Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch). Zsa-Zsa has to mind all the gaps.

(L to R) Benicio Del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Tps Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

For any new Wes Anderson film, some things are certain: the art direction is going to be gorgeous, scenes will have central framing, and every little detail will be carefully thought out. That distinctive visual style is one of the things fans love about Wes Anderson’s work and that distinct visual aesthetic is on full display in The Phoencian Scheme, which explores the vast moral emptiness of the lives of the ultra rich, through a tale of a sort-of Howard Hughes-ish/tech billionaire-type character in the same 1950s-ish world as Asteroid City. The dark comedy, written by Anderson from a story by him and Roman Coppola, is a...

We might think we know what we're going to get out of any given Wes Anderson production, more or less, but that doesn't mean we've seen everything the innovative director has to offer. "The Phoenician Scheme" marks the auteur's thirteenth total film (counting the collection of shorts that make up 2023's "The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar"), meaning we've had almost three full decades to try and put Anderson in a box. His latest, as /Film's Bill Bria reviewed for us here, almost seems preoccupied with putting that theory to the test -- largely through the motley crew of characters at its center.

"The Phoenician Scheme" follows wealthy industrialist Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Anderson regular Benicio del Toro) as he attempts to juggle several things at once: dodging one assassination attempt after another, concocting a desperate gambit to defeat his business rivals bent on his destruction, and reconnecting with his estranged daughter,...

Although Wes Anderson is no stranger to assembling a star-studded ensemble, one actress seems to be just out of reach.

The Oscar-winning director recently revealed that he’s unsuccessfully attempted to cast Jodie Foster in “so many” his films, but timing has never worked out in his favor. He wouldn’t disclose which movies or roles he envisioned for her.

“Over the years, I had so many movies that I tried to get Jodie Foster to be in,” he told Collider, adding: “It used to be every movie, we went to Jodie Foster for a part. And I think I did it three movies in a row, maybe four. And I met her, and I liked her. And I thought it was going to get her. And I think she’s just great, Jodie Foster. And I loved her.”

Anderson noted he “still would like to get Jodie Foster. But...

Though some may view The Phoenician Scheme as yet another narrative maze from filmmaker Wes Anderson, most will likely appreciate and cherish the humor and decidedly off-beat storytelling that the film presents as it careens towards staking its claim as one of the best films of the year.

When he suspects a plot against him, one of the richest men in Europe, Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), decides to make his only daughter – Liesl (Mia Threapleton) – the heir to his estate. Then, as Liesl (who also happens to be a nun) and Korda begin traveling to shepherd a new business deal, they become the target of assassins and terrorists, as well as fellow less-than-savory businessmen.

What follows is a tale of corporate espionage and violence that only a filmmaker like Wes Anderson can spin. Working from a script penned by himself and Roman Coppola, Anderson crafts his usual tapestry of...

Last week, Focus Features extended the incredibly kind invite to cover the latest from Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme. And frankly, as someone who adored this wonderfully weird flick, I couldn’t wait. In the new feature, Benicio Del Toro plays the ruthless businessman Zsa-Zsa Korda. In hopes to keep his name and himself alive – for this guy, it’s a struggle – he decides to appoint his estranged daughter, a nun brilliantly played by Mia Threaplton. If you love Wes Anderson films, you’re going to be delighted by the dark humor and its wildly engaging satire. The feature also stars Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hanks, and Bryan Cranston in brief but memorable roles.

It was a quick trip to New York, and the brief change of scenery was a treat. Once I arrived, I checked out the sites, and I wandered around Central Park and Columbus Circle.

Will audiences care about the world of “John Wick” without the titular nunchuck-wielding hitman, portrayed by Keanu Reeves across four films, as the star of the show?

Lionsgate will find out this weekend as “Ballerina,” a spinoff starring Ana de Armas as a dancer who packs a punch, opens in theaters on Friday. The film is targeting a fair start of $28 million to $30 million from 3,400 North American locations in its first weekend of release. “Ballerina” looks to add another $30 million from 82 markets the international box office.

That’s a drop from the core series, which has grown in popularity since the original “John Wick” opened to $14 million in 2014. From there, each new entry has improved upon the last at the box office with 2017’s “John Wick: Chapter 2” bowing to $30.4 million, 2019’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” launching to $56.8 million and 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4” debuting to a series-best $73.8 million.

Wes Anderson is, without a doubt, one of the most distinctive, unmistakable auteurs of contemporary cinema. From the meticulous symmetry of his framing to the carefully curated color palettes and the almost melancholic tone of his ironic humor, everything about his style screams his name. Films like Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) established a visual and narrative language that has inspired (and oversaturated) many imitators – yet none have managed to replicate it with the same precision. Even though his more recent work – like Asteroid City (2023) and The French Dispatch (2021) – left me somewhat indifferent, my curiosity to see each new project remains intact. The Phoenician Scheme doesn’t change the writer-director’s style in the slightest, but it strikes a more accessible balance between his elaborate aesthetics and a straightforward narrative.

Written and directed by Anderson himself, The Phoenician Scheme tells the story of Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro...

(L to R) Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, a Focus Features release.

Credit: Courtesy of Tps Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved. When director Wes Anderson set about casting for the new spy movie he’d written, The Phoenician Scheme, the first two actors he recruited for the project’s ensemble cast were the story’s protagonist, Benicio del Toro, and Michael Cera as one of del Toro’s associates, a Norweigian entomologist. Signing on for the film, which mixes its action elements with dark comedy, was a no-brainer for Cera, who said “yes” to Anderson without even seeing a script. (Click on the media bar below to hear Michael Cera.) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Micahel_Cera_Why_He_Wanted_to_be_Part_of_The-_Phoenician-_Scheme_.mp3 The Phoenician Scheme opens in theaters on Friday.

Focus Features’ limited launch of Wes Anderson’s espionage comedy “The Phoenician Scheme” generated $570,000 from six venues in New York and Los Angeles across the May 30-June 1 frame, translating to a $95,000 per-theater average—the strongest specialty debut of 2025 and the biggest since “Barbenheimer” year. The figure edges past A24’s previous leader “Friendship,” which opened to $445,000 on half as many screens earlier this spring.

Focus acquired worldwide rights in February and is partnering again with Indian Paintbrush after “Asteroid City” and “Moonrise Kingdom,” continuing a relationship that has delivered steady arthouse returns for the studio. Shot at Germany’s Babelsberg Studios with €10.4 million backing from the federal film fund, the production reunites Anderson with cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel and composer Alexandre Desplat.

“The Phoenician Scheme” premiered in competition at Cannes on May 18, where it drew a four-minute standing ovation before heading to New York for a star-studded domestic premiere attended by Scarlett Johansson,...

Update June 2, 2025: Karate Kid: Legends got kicked around at the box office this weekend, opening below expectations in third place with just $21 million.

Heading into the weekend, Sony's action sequel was projected to debut with $25 million. Despite holding a "certified rotten" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie boasts a 91 percent audience approval score and earned an A-minus grade from CinemaScore exit polls. This marks the first Karate Kid movie since the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith, which opened to $55 million and went on to gross $359 million worldwide.

Topping the box office over the May 30–June 1 weekend was Lilo & Stitch, which brought in $63 million during its second weekend. The live-action Disney remake has amassed $280 million in North America and an additional $330 million overseas, bringing its global box office total to an impressive $610 million to date.

In second place, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning earned $27.3 million over the weekend,...

Actor Michael Cera has appeared in a number of films throughout his career, including Superbad, Juno, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Cera’s breakout role came in 2003 when he began playing the son of Jason Bateman’s Michael Bluth, George-Michael Bluth, on the critically acclaimed hit series Arrested Development.However, it seems as though iconic actor and martial artist Jackie Chan hasn’t seen much of Cera’s work.

Cera, who is starring in the latest film by Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme, was promoting the movie in London recently and, per NME, had an interesting albeit awkward encounter with Chan. Chan was also in London to promote his latest film, Karate Kid: Legends,and he and Cera were both promoting their respective projects in the same building.

“Come and Meet Him”

After the Barbieactor finished his interview with BBC Radio 2 host Jo Whitley,...

For someone whose movies seem so meticulously crafted, director Wes Anderson sure knows how to keep them coming. In the post-pandemic era alone, the filmmaker has released three theatrical features (and four shorts on Netflix). His latest, the espionage comedy The Phoenician Scheme, opened to typically positive reviews this week, and set the record for the year's biggest debut for a limited release. Anderson is the undisputed king of the platform release; his last few movies have delivered incredible numbers in only a handful of locations.

The Phoenician Schemeopened in six locations this week, grossing over $570,000 for a per-theater average of $95,000. This is the best per-theater average of the year so far, but lower than the record $132,000 PTA that Anderson's Asteroid City scored a few years ago in four theaters. Produced on a reported budget of $25 million, Asteroid City made nearly $55 million worldwide. A couple of years before that, The...

Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” is riding a box office wave to $610 million in worldwide ticket sales, ranking as the second-biggest Hollywood release of 2025.

With this momentum, “Lilo & Stitch” could eventually surpass “A Minecraft Movie” ($947 million) as the year’s top-earning movie to date. After two weekends on the big screen, the live-action “Lilo” remake has grossed $330.7 million internationally and $280.1 million domestically — that’s including a massive $113.1 million from 51 overseas territories in its sophomore outing. Top markets include Mexico with $45.9 million, the United Kingdom with $34.5 million, France with $23.1 million and Brazil with $21.6 million.

In other box office milestones, Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” and the Warner Bros. R-rated vampire thriller “Sinners” each surpassed the $350 million benchmark.

Over the weekend, “The Final Reckoning” added $76.1 million internationally in its sophomore outing, including a solid $25.2 million debut in China. So far, the eighth installment in Tom Cruise’s long-running...

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme is now the top grossing limited opening of the year with an estimated $570k at just six locations in New York and LA for a per theater average of $95k. The Focus Features’ film expands to 1,500 screens next weekend.

The film unseats A24’s Friendship which kicked the indie box into high gear last month with a great $445k limited opening and $75k per theater opening for Andrew DeYoung’s feature debut starring comedian Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd. It’s at no. 8 this weekend.

The Phoenician Scheme, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, stars Benicio del Toro as a family patriarch and business titan beset by rivals and assassins, and Mia Threapleton as his daughter, a nun, whom he wants to inherit it all. Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis,...

In their second weekends, Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning added an estimated $63m and $27.3m respectively in North America, while Wes Anderson’s Cannes Competition premiere The Phoenician Scheme delivered the highest per-theatre score of the year to date.

Comscore reported that total weekend box office amounted to $149.2m as the year-to-date tally reached $3.4bn. Box office is currently tracking 26% ahead of 2024 by the same stage.

Lilo & Stitch, Disney Live Action’s reboot of the studio’s popular animation, held on to top spot and now stands at $280.1m after last weekend’s record Memorial Day holiday weekend launch.

Ever since actor Michael Cera broke out in 2007's "Superbad," there's been a delightful tension surrounding his screen persona: Is this guy a huge dork, a super chill cool dude, or somehow both? Of course, the latter choice is the answer, but that hasn't stopped Cera from leaning into his more mercurial, enigmatic qualities as a performer. From the bumbling awkwardness of George Michael Bluth in "Arrested Development" to the titular kung-fu fighting hipster hero of "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" to perfectly encapsulating the offbeat qualities of Allan in "Barbie," Cera has demonstrated many times over that he understands the irony inherent in his persona. This has led to more deliberate and pointed depictions of that irony, such as playing an unhinged version of himself in "This Is the End," and a dual role in "Youth in Revolt," where Cera's shy character creates an outgoing, "cool" alter ego.

All...