The latest Wes Anderson film has been released in cinemas today (Friday, June 23), with a star-studded cast.
Sci-fi romantic comedy Asteroid City follows a writer producing his world-famous play, about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event.
While there, he has his world view disrupted forever. Confusingly, the film is about a play, within a TV show... within a film. As expected, it tackles themes of grief, love and the cosmos -and is bound to elicit some existentialism from us mere humans.
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Directed by Anderson and co-written by himself and Roman Coppola, the film is set in 1955, in a small town at the intersection of Nevada, California and Arizona. Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman and Maya Hawke are among the stars of the cast.
Asteroid City premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, and competed for the Palme d’Or prize. Meanwhile Jarvis Cocker, who has a cameo in the film, contributed two original songs to the film's soundtrack.
‘Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)’ and ‘You Can’t Wake Up If You Don’t Fall Asleep’ were both produced by former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley. Alexandre Desplat, who has previously worked with Anderson on the likes of Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel, created Asteroid City's musical score.
Here is the film's run time and the cast list in full.
How long is Asteroid City on for?
The film's run time is one hour and 44 minutes.
Who is cast in the film?
Jason Schwartzman is Augie Steenbeck, a war photographer and Woodrow's dad.
Jake Ryan plays Woodrow Steenbeck, a Junior Stargazer winner
Scarlett Johansson is Midge Campbell, an actress and mum to Dinah
Grace Edwards plays Dinah Campbell, another Junior Stargazer winner
Tom Hanks portrays Stanley Zak, Auggie's father-in-law
Tilda Swinton plays Dr. Hickenlooper, a scientist at a local observatory
Jeffrey Wright plays General Grif Gibson, the Junior Stargazer awards' host
Willem Dafoe is Saltzburg Keitel, an acting teacher
Maya Hawke plays June Douglas, another teacher
Rupert Friend is Montana, a singing cowboy interested in June.
Bryan Cranston is the host of an anthology television show
Edward Norton portrays Conrad Earp, a legendary playwright
Adrien Brody is director Schubert Green
Hong Chau is Polly, Schubert's wife
Barbie star Margot Robbie, Steve Carrell and Matt Dillon all make appearances. Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis and Stephen Park also feature.
