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Asteroid City 2023
Romantic comedy-dramaScience fictionScience fiction comedy-drama
Asteroid City is a 2023 American science fiction comedy drama film. It was written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson, with story development done in collaboration with Roman Coppola. The film features an ensemble cast including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, and Jeff Goldblum. The narrative centers on a stage play taking place in a retrofuturistic 1955 setting. The story follows a Junior Stargazer convention and the unexpected arrival of extraterrestrials and UFOs to Asteroid City, a fictional town located in the American Southwestern desert near atomic test sites from after World War II. This play is presented within a television documentary that follows the making of the show itself, introducing a metatextual layer.
The film’s announcement came in September 2020 under the title of an untitled romance project. At that time, Anderson was set to write, produce, and direct, working alongside Jeremy Dawson from American Empirical Pictures and Steven Rales from Indian Paintbrush. In February 2021, it was described as focusing on a "group of brainy teenagers". Originally scheduled to film in Rome, the production moved to Chinchón, Spain, with principal photography running from August through October 2021. Cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman worked on the film. Several sets were constructed to resemble a desert landscape and a mock train station. Post-production was handled by editor Barney Pilling, while a musical score composed by frequent Anderson collaborator Alexandre Desplat included country and western songs from various artists. The official title Asteroid City was unveiled in October 2021 at the BFI London Film Festival.
The film had its premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. It began a limited theatrical release through Focus Features in the United States on June 16, 2023, followed by a wider release a week later. The film earned $54 million worldwide on a $25 million budget and received generally positive reviews.
Trailer
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Cast
- Jason Schwartzman
- Jones Hall, the actor playing Steenbeck
- Scarlett Johansson
- Mercedes Ford, the actress playing Campbell
- Tom HanksStanley Zak
- Jeffrey WrightGeneral Grif Gibson
- Tilda SwintonDr. Hickenlooper
- Bryan Cranston
- Edward NortonConrad Earp
- Adrien BrodySchubert Green
- Liev SchreiberJ.J
- Hope DavisSandy Borden
- Stephen Park
- Roger Cho, Ricky's father
- Linus Mao, the actor playing Cho
- Rupert Friend
- Asquith Eden, the actor playing Montana
- Maya Hawke
- Lucretia Shaver, the actress playing Douglas
- Steve Carella motel manager
- Matt Dillon
- A mechanic
- Hong ChauPolly
- Willem DafoeSaltzburg Keitel
- Margot Robbie
- Steenbeck's deceased wife and Zak's daughter
- the actress playing the wife
- Tony RevoloriGen. Gibson's aide-de-camp
- Jake Ryan
- Grace EdwardsDinah
- Aristou MeehanClifford
- Sophia LillisShelly
- Ethan Josh LeeRicky
- Jeff Goldblumthe alien
- Kim Keukeleirethe puppeteer for the alien
- Fisher StevensDetective 1
- Rita WilsonMrs. Weatherford
- Jarvis Cockera cowboy
- Bob BalabanLarkings Executive
- Seu Jorgea cowboy
Crew
- Director
- Wes Anderson
- Screenplay
- Wes Anderson
- Story
- Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
- Producer
- Wes Anderson, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson
- Cinematography
- Robert Yeoman
- Editing
- Barney Pilling
- Music
- Alexandre Desplat
Details
- Production
- American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush
- Distributor
- Focus Features (United States), Universal Pictures International (international)
- Budget
- $25 million
- Box office
- $54 million
