The Wes Anderson universe

His films are 90-minute getaways, technicolour escapism. American director Wes Anderson and his signature style are world-famous. An introduction to the film icon.

Lean back a little further. No, stop, too far. Yes, now, stay like that! Like most of his colleagues, filmmaker Wes Anderson is a perfectionist. But Anderson is different. Some call it magic realism, others formalism, but the name ​‘Wes Anderson’ alone is a fitting genre description.

Wes Anderson-style TikToks

In 2024, the Texan – who is only ever seen in a tailored suit – finally received an Oscar. Paradoxically, he won the award for a short film produced for Netflix (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar). He had already taken over TikTok in 2023 without even being involved as countless influencers posted videos in his style. The reels showed perfectly ordinary sequences – such as train journeys or people on swings – but in a beautiful way. Bursting with colour, long camera shots, deadpan facial expressions, a love of retro and symmetry. No dialogue, just instrumental music from Anderson’s film​The French Dispatch. The TikTok hype may have died down, but the enthusiasm for Anderson remains.

The Museum of Wes Anderson

Two new books were published in autumn 2024, together with an exhibition in Australia and a retrospective exhibition that opens at the Design Museum in London in 2025. Most directors would be hard-pressed to match that kind of success. But why now? Especially when Anderson has been making films since the 1990s – initially with fellow student Owen Wilson. In the preface to their​“museum in book form”, Camille Mathieu and Johan Chiaramonte, the authors of​The Museum of Wes Anderson (Prestel Verlag), talk about​“childhood nostalgia, innocence and escape from the adult world, which is dangerous and unpredictable”. A timely reminder of the world we live in, one might say.

prestelpublishing​.de

Big stars in stylised films

For film and pop culture journalist Chiaramonte, Anderson’s films are​“islands of elegance”. But co-author Camille Mathieu is convinced it would be wrong to regard him purely as a​“stylist”. Anderson consistently asks intelligent questions about the meaning of life, he deals with topics such as grief and death, but in an ironic, seemingly detached way. This subtlety of emotion is a great art, and the cast of actors around Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray and Ralph Fiennes has it down to a tee. His characters often seem to come from a cabinet of curiosities, and yet, as Anderson has often remarked, they are all based on real people. All of his characters could seamlessly move back and forth between films – or puff their way into the picture on a rickety bike.

Fairy tales for adults

The nostalgia that permeates Anderson’s films is not heavy – and that is what makes them so fascinating. They are fairy tales for adults, some of which – such as​The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar – are reminiscent of the pop-up books that we know from childhood. Almost every film sequence could be printed out as a still image and hung on the wall. Anderson is a composer of images who once wanted to become an architect, and you can feel this in his work. The sets are like stage designs and the dramatic structure is reminiscent of a theatrical production. Almost amusing, given one of the most famous quotes from the mastermind:​“I wouldn’t say that I’m particularly bothered or obsessed with detail.” Well, some people would beg to differ.

The Wes Anderson universe

For those interested in the fine details, the authors take on the role of museum curators. Whether it’s the cherry-red hair clip of Margot Tenenbaum (aka Gwyneth Paltrow), the scent of the concierge (Ralph Fiennes) from​The Grand Budapest Hotel or a stack of fake books as a reference to Anderson’s admiration for Roald Dahl and J. D. Salinger. They are arthouse artefacts, devotional objects for die-hard fans. Clothing plays a particularly important role in Anderson’s films; for the characters, you are what you wear. From bowling shirts to floral bathrobes, even​Vogue has analysed this in great detail. The charismatic director creates a unique universe for each of his films – more of the same, complain the critics. In a TV documentary, he was once asked how he reacts to this: ​“It’s just what I like.”

Book tip: Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures

A second book was published in autumn 2024 with the title​Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures. American couple Wally and Amanda Koval brought their highly successful Instagram page to paper – for the second time. They have amassed almost two million followers since 2017. 1.9 million people enjoy the colourful squares featuring places all around the world. A bit like something out of an Anderson film.​“One of our first adventures took us to Vienna in 2018,” laughs Wally Koval when asked.

Journey to the set

Unlike the fictional museum guide from Prestel Verlag,​Accidentally Wes Anderson is a kind of bucket list, a travel guide to quirky and beautiful gems. The man himself even wrote the foreword. Of all the places presented in the book, there is only one that he has seen with his own eyes: an umbrella shop in London. Perhaps he will come back in 2025 for the opening of​Wes Anderson: The Exhibition at the Design Museum. We’ll be there for Wes!

accidentallywesanderson​.com

Wes Anderson: The Exhibition

In November 2025, the Design Museum in London will open a major exhibition offering a deep insight into the fascinating world of Wes Anderson. Fans can look forward to a journey through the director’s cinematic work, from his early experimental shorts to his latest Oscar-winning masterpieces. The exhibition promises to shed light not only on the plots and characters, but also on the detailed set designs, the precise camera work and the unique colour palette that makes Anderson’s films so distinctive.

designmuseum​.org/​w​e​s​a​n​d​erson

Don’t miss a thing — we’ll keep you up to date!

Sign up for our newsletter.