# Asteroid City

> 2023 film directed by Wes Anderson

**Wikidata**: [Q108086029](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108086029)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_City)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/asteroid-city

## Summary
Asteroid City is a 2023 comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, and was released in the United States on June 16, 2023.

## Key Facts
- Directed by Wes Anderson, who also wrote and produced the film
- Premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023
- Released in the United States on June 16, 2023
- Genre classified as comedy-drama, romance, and science fiction
- Produced by American Empirical Pictures, Focus Features, and Indian Paintbrush
- Country of origin: United States
- IMDb ID: tt14230388
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%
- Metacritic score: 76/100
- Budget: $25,000,000
- Box office gross: $53,857,743
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Official website: https://www.universalpictures.co.uk/micro/asteroid-city
- Wikipedia sitelink count: 38

## FAQs
**What is Asteroid City about?**
Asteroid City is a comedy-drama set in a fictional American desert town in 1955, centering on a Junior Stargazer convention disrupted by world-changing events. The film explores themes of grief, family, and the search for meaning through a layered narrative structure.

**Who stars in Asteroid City?**
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, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Tony Revolori.

**What genres does Asteroid City belong to?**
Asteroid City is classified across multiple genres including comedy-drama, romance, and science fiction, reflecting its blend of humor, emotional depth, and speculative elements.

**When and where was Asteroid City released?**
The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, followed by a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 16, 2023, with wider release on June 23, 2023.

## Why It Matters
Asteroid City represents Wes Anderson's distinctive filmmaking style at its most ambitious, combining his signature visual aesthetic with a complex narrative structure that blurs the lines between reality and performance. The film's exploration of grief, connection, and the human search for meaning resonates with contemporary audiences while maintaining Anderson's trademark humor and visual precision. Its premiere at Cannes and subsequent theatrical release demonstrate the continued viability of mid-budget, auteur-driven cinema in an industry increasingly dominated by franchise films.

## Notable For
- Wes Anderson's most ambitious ensemble cast to date
- Complex narrative structure blending multiple storylines and meta-theatrical elements
- Distinctive visual style featuring Anderson's signature symmetrical compositions and pastel color palette
- Exploration of grief and human connection through a science fiction lens
- Premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival
- Box office success for an original, non-franchise film in 2023
- Critical acclaim for its performances, particularly Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson

## Body
### Production and Creative Team
Asteroid City was written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson, marking his tenth feature film as director. The production companies involved were American Empirical Pictures (Anderson's own company), Focus Features, and Indian Paintbrush. The film was produced on a budget of $25 million, demonstrating Anderson's ability to create visually rich cinema without blockbuster-level funding.

### Cast and Characters
The film features one of the most extensive ensemble casts in Anderson's filmography, including Jason Schwartzman as Augie Steenbeck, Scarlett Johansson as Midge Campbell, Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak, Jeffrey Wright as General Grif Gibson, Tilda Swinton as Dr. Hickenlooper, and Bryan Cranston as the narrator. The supporting cast includes numerous actors who have appeared in Anderson's previous films, creating a sense of continuity within his cinematic universe.

### Narrative Structure
Asteroid City employs a complex narrative structure that interweaves multiple storylines, including a play-within-a-film format. The story is set in a fictional American desert town in 1955, where a Junior Stargazer convention brings together students and parents from across the country. The convention is disrupted by extraordinary events that challenge the characters' understanding of their world and their place in it.

### Visual Style and Design
True to Wes Anderson's signature style, Asteroid City features meticulously composed shots with symmetrical framing, a pastel color palette dominated by desert tones, and carefully designed sets that create a heightened reality. The film's production design recreates 1950s Americana with Anderson's characteristic attention to detail, from vintage automobiles to period-appropriate costumes and props.

### Themes and Content
The film explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and the human search for meaning in an uncertain world. Through its science fiction elements and the characters' experiences at the Junior Stargazer convention, Asteroid City examines how people cope with loss and find connection in unexpected circumstances. The 1950s setting allows Anderson to comment on post-war American optimism and anxiety.

### Release and Reception
Asteroid City premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, where it received positive reviews from critics. The film was released in the United States on June 16, 2023, by Focus Features, expanding to wider release on June 23. It grossed $53,857,743 worldwide, demonstrating commercial success for an original, non-franchise film. Critical reception was generally favorable, with particular praise for the ensemble performances and Anderson's distinctive visual style.

### Technical Specifications
The film has a runtime of 105 minutes and was shot on location in Spain, with additional filming in California. The cinematography, handled by regular Anderson collaborator Robert Yeoman, captures the stark beauty of the desert landscape while maintaining the director's signature visual precision. The film's score, composed by Alexandre Desplat, complements the visual aesthetic with music that evokes 1950s Americana while supporting the film's emotional beats.

### Cultural Context
As Wes Anderson's tenth feature film, Asteroid City represents a mature work from one of contemporary cinema's most distinctive voices. The film's exploration of grief and connection through a science fiction lens reflects contemporary concerns while maintaining Anderson's characteristic humor and visual precision. Its success demonstrates the continued audience appetite for original, auteur-driven cinema in an industry increasingly dominated by franchise films and intellectual property.

## References

1. AlloCiné
2. Trakt.tv
3. The Movie Database
4. Crew United
5. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
6. IMDb
7. Terjesztésre kerülő filmalkotások és artfilmek nyilvántartása
8. [Source](https://www.procinema.ch/fr/statistics/filmdb/1018025.html)
9. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14230388/releaseinfo/)
10. [Bulletin No: 2769. Motion Picture Association. 2023](https://www.filmratings.com/Content/Downloads/cara_rating_bulletin.pdf)
11. [Bulletin No: 2781. Motion Picture Association. 2023](https://www.filmratings.com/Content/Downloads/cara_rating_bulletin.pdf)
12. [Source](https://www.spio-fsk.de/asp/fskkarte.asp?pvid=12970190)
13. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt14230388/?ref_=bo_se_r_1)
14. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/asteroid-city/)
15. Entertainment Identifier Registry
16. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2023&s_month=6&e_year=2023&e_month=6&pageID=2)
17. film distribution certificate
18. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/159486)
19. [Source](https://sede.mcu.gob.es/CatalogoICAA/info/202321/1/34/209.pdf)
20. Bechdel Test Movie List
21. [Source](https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/24743686003339AE)
22. FilmVandaag.nl