The Phoenician Scheme

"If something gets in your way: flatten it."

2025 1h 42m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

🍅

77%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 1,067🍅77%Rotten Tomatoes●70Metacritic★6.6IMDB · 67,617

ComedyAdventureCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.

“If something gets in your way: flatten it.”

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Cast

Benicio del Toro
Zsa-zsa Korda
Mia Threapleton
Sister Liesl
Michael Cera
Bjorn Lund
Riz Ahmed
Prince Farouk
Tom Hanks
Leland
Bryan Cranston
Reagan
Mathieu Amalric
Marseille Bob
Richard Ayoade
Sergio

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Wes Anderson
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Countries: United States of America, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

313+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Wes Anderson, shot by Bruno Delbonnel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alexandre Desplat. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Barney Pilling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Wes Anderson directs. Bruno Delbonnel behind the camera. Alexandre Desplat scores. Barney Pilling cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America, Germany. Dialogue in English, French, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.
3International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Germany.
4313+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Wes Anderson, shot by Bruno Delbonnel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Alexandre Desplat. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Barney Pilling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "If something gets in your way: flatten it.".
10IMDB entry: tt30840798 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 24 themes, including "nun", "espionage", "dark comedy", "arms dealer".

The technical file

Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel
Original score: Alexandre Desplat
Editing: Barney Pilling
Production design: Adam Stockhausen
Costume design: Milena Canonero
Makeup / hair: Heike Merker
VFX supervisor: Dan Schrecker
Sound: Wayne Lemmer
Stunt coordinator: Dominique Fouassier
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $30,000,000
Box office: $40,566,381
Return: 135% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 77% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 70/100
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 67,617 votes
MPAA: PG-13

Awards

1 win & 26 nominations total

Also by

Wes Anderson

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-05-29
★ 7/10
Unlike a few of the more recent Wes Anderson films, I thought this had more of a substantial story to underpin the antics as it follow the quite literally death-defying activities of entrepreneur “Korda” (Benicio del Toro). Now he’s made his squillions somewhat disreputably and has frequently been the target of assassins, so after this latest attempt sees him face down in the desert, he decides it’s time to make his will. He has loads of sons but just one daughter. She’s a nun, sworn to holy orders and is called “Liesl” (Mia Threapleton). Now she’s not the sort of “Liesl” we saw with Julie Andrews, this one is ruthlessly savvy and switched on as her father embarks on his most ambitious, secretive and toxic scheme yet - and that’s only going to further irk “Excalibur” (Rupert Friend) whom we know is running the “SPECTRE” style organisation determined to thwart his plans and see him six feet under. I suppose the snag with this film is that it isn’t so radically different, stylistically, from any of his recent stuff nor does the presence of his usual slew of Willem Dafoe, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks et al really offer us much by way of different or substantial characterisations for us to really get our teeth into, and that predictability also impacts a bit on the frankly “Monty Python” style of the humour, but del Toro owns the film well from start to finish and along the way it takes a pop at the vested interest, industrial exploitation and the abusive power of self interest as it moves along entertainingly and in a more logical manner. It hits the ground running and rarely pauses for breath as it reminded me more of “Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) than “Asteroid City” (2023). For my money, it’s still not as good as Anderson’s earlier more creatively innovative work, but it is still a fun ensemble effort that benefits from some gorgeous production design and a never ending supply of band-aids.
r96sk2025-06-03
★ 9/10
'The Phoenician Scheme' is Wes Anderson being Wes Anderson (complimentary). I loved this! 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' and 'The French Dispatch' are works of this director that I've enjoyed most, but this 2025 release is on another level for me. It's as amusing as it as stunning, Anderson films are unmistakably Anderson and this one is no different; it has everything you'd expect from a picture of his. The all-star cast list is usual for his flicks as well, here there are plenty of actors that I enjoy; so it was never gonna disappoint, I guess. Benicio del Toro is an outstanding lead, I've always liked him as an actor ('Sicario', 'The Hunted') but this is his first performance (at least from the ten flicks featuring him that I've now seen) that is truly top notch in my mind; one impossible to forget, without doubt. Mia Threapleton is the only prominent onscreen performer that I wasn't previously aware of; weirdly mind, because I recognised her voice 100% but when looking at her filmography, it turns out I've apparently not seen her in anything - odd, perhaps someone sounds just like her? Where to begin in regards to the rest of the cast? Michael Cera is terrific, Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston are top fun, Mathieu Amalric gives as good as Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright and Benedict Cumberbatch (quite the look!). So many other big names in there too. I still have eight Wes Anderson films to see at some point, but having only watched five he is evidently a reliable guy. I'd be surprised if I disliked any of those other works of his, especially as I didn't actually definitively like 'Moonrise Kingdom' but even that has its positives.
Manuel São Bento2025-06-03
★ 7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/the-phoenician-scheme-review-for-fans-and-skeptics-alike-a-more-accessible-entry-point-into-wes-andersons-world/ "The Phoenician Scheme is yet another clear example of Wes Anderson's singular vision, with the filmmaker continuing to provide space for every department to shine - from Adam Stockhausen's extravagant production design to Alexandre Desplat's witty score, and Bruno Delbonnel's immaculately aligned cinematography. However, it's in the thematic exploration where the film reaches a rare point of balance: by portraying the transformation of a man consumed by vanity and ambition into a vulnerable and redeemed father figure, the writer-director offers a genuine reflection on regret, family reconnection, and personal sacrifice. The subtle yet intentional performances by Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, and Michael Cera reinforce that emotional core, bringing humanity to a meticulously artificial world." Rating: B