Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks light up Cannes premiere of Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’

Scarlett Johansson poses at the screening of the film ‘Asteroid City’ in Cannes, France
| Photo Credit: GONZALO FUENTES

A bus full of celebrities poured onto the Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet on Tuesday evening for the premiere of director Wes Anderson’s new space-themed fable, “Asteroid City.”

As with his previous films, Anderson’s cast is a veritable who’s who list of Hollywood stars, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody and Margot Robbie.

Tom Hanks poses
| Photo Credit:
GONZALO FUENTES

Notably absent is Bill Murray, who has been in almost all of Anderson’s films but missed this one due to being sick from COVID-19 during filming.

“Asteroid City” is the name of the fictional town in the southwestern United States where the film, set in the 1950s, takes place. Famous for its meteor crater and observatory, the town is hosting a convention for young scientists when a UFO disrupts the celebrations and upends attendees’ lives.

Director Wes Anderson and cast members Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and Damien Bonnard at Cannes
| Photo Credit:
ERIC GAILLARD

“Asteroid City” marks the third time the director, known for his unique visual style, has competed for the festival’s top prize. His last entry was 2021’s “The French Dispatch.”

Anderson teamed up to write “Asteroid City” with Roman Coppola, with whom he has collaborated in the past on movies such as Oscar-nominated “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Isle of Dogs.”