Before Wes Anderson skipped this year’s Oscars to film “The Phoenician Scheme” in Germany, fans already knew which actors would be at the heart of the director’s latest ensemble. Benecio del Toro and Mia Threapleton star as a father and daughter whose family business leads them into a dark espionage tale, with Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, and Anderson regular Bill Murray also starring. But now that shooting on the film is over (as of June 3, apparently), the rest of the cast has been revealed (although, bear in mind, this is by no means official).
But given the familiar faces reportedly involved in “The Phoenician Scheme,” this news very well may be true. Crew United and The Film Stage report that Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Bryan Cranston, and Benedict Cumberbatch are all on board for Anderson’s next feature. All six of those actors have starred in the auteur’s recent work, so no surprises here. But the newcomers include one big name, who’s a perfect candidate for Anderson’s style: Charlotte Gainsbourg. Believe it or not, the French actress has never been in a Wes Anderson movie, but in “The Phoenician Scheme,” she’ll play the “first wife.” That’s likely regarding Del Toro’s character, but again, none of this is confirmed.
Other Anderson first-timers on the cast list include Imke Büchel, Imad Mardnli, Jaime Ferkic, Antonia Desplat, Tonio Arango, Aysha Samuel, and Sabine Hollweck. The full reported cast list for “The Phoenician Scheme” with some character names is below.
No one knows much about “The Phoenician Scheme” yet, only that it’s the latest in Anderson’s latest torrent of films. It could hit theater as soon as this Fall or Winter, but stay tuned for an official release date. Bruno Delbonnel serves as cinematographer on the fim, with Adam Stockhausen will return as production designer for his fifth Anderson film.
Here’s the cast list for “The Phoenician Scheme,” yet to be confirmed:
Benicio del Toro
Michael Cera
Bill Murray
Mia Threapleton (Liesl)
Imke Büchel (Gouvernante)
Imad Mardnli (Farouk’s Bodyguard)
Jaime Ferkic (The Chauffeur)
Charlotte Gainsbourg (1st Wife)
Willem Dafoe (Attorney)
Antonia Desplat (2nd Wife)
Rupert Friend (Excaliber)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Uncle Nubar)
Scarlett Johansson (Cousin)
Tom Hanks (Leland)
Riz Ahmed (Prince Farouk)
Bryan Cranston (Reagan)
Tonio Arango (Desert Assasin)
Aysha Samuel (Millita)
Sabine Hollweck (Cook)