Wes Anderson’s ‘Isle Of Dogs’ To Open 2018 Berlin Film Festival

Sometimes, it’s not worth messing with the recipe for success. Nearly four years ago, Wes Anderson debuted “The Grand Budapest Hotel” at the Berlin International Film Festival where it earned rave reviews, and went on to become the biggest global box office success by a healthy margin with $174.8 million (the next closest is “The Royal ” with $71.4 million). So, for his next film, the director and Fox Searchlight are hoping to repeat history.

‘Isle Of Dogs’ Trailer: Wes Anderson Goes To Japan

“Isle Of Dogs” has been selected as the opening film for the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival where it will make its World Premiere. The film returns Anderson to the world of animation, and he has a heckuva voice cast joining in on the fun including Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Kunichi Nomura, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Akira Ito, Greta Gerwig, Akira Takayama, Frances McDormand, F. Murray Abraham, Courtney B. Vance, Yojiro Noda, Fisher Stevens, Mari Natsuki, Nijiro Murakami, Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel and Frank Wood.

The story is set in the near future where dogs have been outlawed in Japan, and follows a young boy who goes on a rescue mission to find his beloved pooch. Here’s the official synopsis:

Isle of Dogs tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, twelve-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

“Isle Of Dogs” opens on March 23, 2018.