It’s hard to find a movie buff—especially among the younger generation—who doesn’t love Wes Anderson. Finding one who doesn’t know him is harder still. Anderson is arguably one of the most well-known directors today and majority of his films have become cult classics adored for the quirky characters that populate the stories and the director’s distinct and visually-appealing aesthetic.
Wes Anderson’s upcoming stop-motion animated film, Isle of Dogs, is set to hit Philippine theaters by May 30. Here’s everything we know about it so far:
1. It is set in a dystopian future Japan where all dogs have been quarantined on a remote island.
The trailer tells us that the story is set in the Japanese archipelago “20 years in the future,” where the streets have become overcrowded with dogs that led to an epidemic of “canine flu”. To combat the mysterious disease, the government ordered that all dogs be quarantined in a remote garbage island.
2. It’s about a boy’s adventure to find and rescue his dog.
The movie will follow the adventures of a 12-year-old boy named Atari Kobayashi as he flies a hijacked small plane into the island to rescue his dog Spots. There he meets five local dogs: Chief, Rex, Boss, Duke, and King, and they help him in his mission while also protecting him from the authorities.
3. It features an ensemble voice cast made up of well-known Hollywood actors.
The film’s voice cast is a stunning ensemble of big names from Hollywood including Bryan Cranston, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, and Jeff Goldblum among others. Due to this and the fact that it is set in Japan, the film was accused of whitewashing when the trailer was first released online.
The film also features Japanese multimedia artist Yoko Ono and actor Ken Watanabe. The lead character Atari is voiced by Koyu Rankin, a child actor born to a Scottish-Canadian father and Japanese mother.
4. The film was inspired by one Japan’s most influential directors.
Wes Anderson says that his latest work is inspired by Akira Kurosowa, who is widely considered as one of the most important and influential directors in film. His best known works include Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo.
5. The film opened several international film festivals.
The world premier of the movie was held at the Berlin Film Festival last February. Anderson’s previous film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, also secured the opening gala spot at the Berlin film festival in 2014. Isle of Dogs also opened the 2018 Glasgow Film Festival on February 21, 2018.
You can catch Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs in local theaters starting May 30. Find out more here.