‘Asteroid City’ Features Palisadian Tom Hanks

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Palisadian Tom Hanks can be seen in Wes Anderson’s latest film “Asteroid City,” set for wide release on Friday, June 23.

Anderson is known for his vibrant and immersive filmmaking, creating memorable color palettes and characters. His films include “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Moonrise Kingdom.” “Asteroid City” is his 11th film, which he directed, co-produced and co-wrote with Roman Coppola.

Set in 1955, the film is said to take place in a fictional desert town, covering the span of events that unfold during a Junior Stargazer, or space cadet, convention.

The star-studded cast features Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody and many more.

About working with Anderson, Hanks said he works like a “master chef.”

“[Anderson] filters us all into this movie with a great amount of fidelity,” he said in an interview with Access Online. “He says, ‘OK, you’ll come in for this bit. I need you to come in for this.’ Eighteen takes later he’s got what he wants, and he’ll say, ‘Can you hang around for another day? I might want to put a box on your head and have you in another scene.’ And you’re having such a great time … Whatever you need, Wes, whatever you need.”

In an interview with Far Out magazine, Anderson revealed he was drawn to choose Hanks for the film for his previous roles set in 20th-century America, including “Saving Private Ryan” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

“By the time I had the chance to work with Tom Hanks on this movie, he had crossed a sort of threshold into being more iconic,” Anderson said to Far Out. “He’s a full-on icon now.”

After Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” Hanks is set to star in Robert Zemeckis’ 2024 film “Here,” alongside Robin Wright and Paul Bettany. He is also a producer for “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” which hits theaters in September.

“Asteroid City” is rated PG-13 with a run time of one hour and 44 minutes.