Wes Anderson’s next movie gets an R rating, but he plans to appeal

Wes Anderson's Asteroid City has been given an R rating from the MPA, but the filmmaker reportedly plans to appeal.

According to the Motion Picture Association's weekly ratings list, Asteroid City has been rated R for "brief graphic nudity." Below the rating is a note that states, "Intending to appeal to the Classification and Rating Administration (C.A.R.A.) Appeals board." 

The movie is set in the '50s in a fictional desert town in the US. According to the official synopsis: "The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events."  

Anderson co-wrote the screenplay with Roman Coppola, who he previously wrote with on 2007's The Darjeeling Limited and 2012's Moonrise Kingdom – which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

The all-star cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Jeff Goldblum, Rita Wilson, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Hong Chau, Tony Revolori, and Sophia Lillis.

Anderson's The French Dispatch, released in 2021, received an R rating for "graphic nudity, some sexual references, and language" and had another A-list ensemble cast consisting of Owen Wilson, Timothee Chalamet, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Elizabeth Moss, Bill Murray, and Edward Norton.

Asteroid City is set to hit limited theaters on July 16, with a wider release commencing on July 23.

For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond, or, skip right to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.