NEWS: What Will Wes Anderson Do Next?

With the limited release of Wes Anderson’s newest film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, now under way, two things are happening. People are starting to sing the films praises (currently a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes), an people are also starting to ask “what’s next?” for the film’s director.

Well, a light has been shined on that exact subject.

Over a year ago, word came out that Anderson was going to work on a remake of the French film, My Best Friend. It looks like that project hasn’t been scrapped (like some rumors were proclaiming), but instead, was going to be his next film. A script has been drafted, and is now titled The Rosenthaler Suite. Here’s the scoop from /Film (via The Playlist, who attained a draft of the script):

The Playlist got a copy of the script and runs down some of the differences between it and the original film. The French My Best Friend is a comic meditation on the nature of friendship. It follows François (Daniel Auteuil), an arrogant and unpleasant antique dealer who was challenged by his business partner, Catherine (Julie Gayet), to produce his best friend (not believing that he had one). If he succeeds, he will be able to retain possession of a valuable Greek vase he purchased using company money. François sets out to look for a best friend and finds Bruno (Dany Boon), a gregarious cabbie, who will hopefully help him win the bet.

In Anderson’s version, transplanted to New York, the primary character is Nicolas, an art dealer. The plot is kicked into motion by rival art dealer Lucinda, and Bruno becomes a Polish cab driver named Zbigniew. (The Playlist notes that George Clooney seems like a lock for Nicolas, that Angelica Huston or Meryl Streep would be ideal Lucindas, and that Adrien Brody could be Zbigniew. For the latter, I’m envisioning Eugene Hutz, were it not for his similar role in Everything is Illuminated.)

Could this be his next project? My hunches are no, as he has been reported as saying that he wants to simply do something wholly original, so while it’s not out of the question, I highly doubt it. A rumored Fantastic Mr. Fox comic book could be on the horizon, but honestly, I don’t even think Anderson knows what his next project is, but I think that’s a good thing. I haven’t seen Fox, but it looks similar to his previous films, and I think doing something, even script wise, wholly original, could be good for him. I’m with The Playlist in hoping that Roman Coppola could pick up Suite, but who knows.

What would YOU like to see Anderson do next?

Go see something good!