Focus Features has set a June 16 2023 US release for Wes Anderson’s long-awaited The French Dispatch follow-up Asteroid City, placing it in the sweet spot for a world premiere berth at Cannes, which will run from May 16-27.

Focus will distribute the film in the US and Universal Pictures International handles international distribution. Asteroid City takes place in a fictitious American desert town circa 1955 as a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention is disrupted by world-changing events.

The ensemble cast includes Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, and Hope Davis.

Also starring are Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Grace Edwards, Aristou Meehan, Sophia Lillis, Ethan Lee, Jeff Goldblum, and Rita Wilson.

France resident Anderson wrote the screenplay from a story he concocted with Roman Coppola, and produces with longtime collaborators Steven Rales, founder of Indian Paintbrush, and Jeremy Dawson.

Asteroid City marks the first time Anderson, Focus and Indian Paintbrush have collaborated since Moonrise Kingdom, which premiered in Cannes in 2012.