Director Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City, has arrived, and it may be his most ambitious project to date. Anderson is no stranger to romantic and quirky comedies with a touch of drama, and Asteroid City checks all of those boxes. But it also happens to be a sci-fi story with some of the most unique and retro visuals that we’ve seen in a long time. The primary story is set in 1955, where a Junior Stargazer convention gives way to something even greater. To say more would be to give away too many spoilers
Anderson assembled an A-list cast for this film, including Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Ed Norton, Margot Robbie, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Rupert Friend, Tilda Swinton, Liev Schreiber, Steve Park, Adrien Brody, Maya Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Hope Davis, Tony Revolori, Hong Chau, Jake Ryan, and Jeff Goldblum. That is a ridiculously stacked lineup of stars, most of whom worked on this movie for well below their usual pay rate. That’s because they believed in Anderson’s vision for this project, and this allowed the film to be made for only $25 million.
Now, to answer your burning questions about whether Asteroid City is streaming, and where you can find it.
Is Asteroid City streaming?
No, not yet. In fact, it’s only in limited release right now in New York and Los Angeles. Asteroid City won’t be getting a wide theatrical release until Friday, June 23. For now, there are no immediate plans to send the film to streaming. After all, it still needs to make some money theatrically!
The hope is that Asteroid City will have legs in the specialty theater market, just as Everything Everywhere All At Once did last year. Fortunately, Asteroid City did quite well in its opening weekend, earning $2.6 million from just a handful of theaters in the U.S.
Will Asteroid City be available to stream at home?
Yes, but probably not immediately. Asteroid City was made for only $25 million, so it has a better chance of turning a profit if it isn’t rushed to streaming any time soon. Specialty and art house titles like Asteroid City tend to follow their own schedule for streaming rather than a strict 30- to 45-day theatrical window.
Since this is a Focus Features film and a Comcast release, Asteroid City‘s streaming destination will likely be Peacock. However, Amazon Prime Video also has a deal in place for Focus Features releases, so Asteroid City may eventually show up on Prime Video.
Should Asteroid City be seen in theaters or at home?
It really boils down to your personal preference. Wes Anderson’s films are always eclectic and often an acquired taste. But no one can say that Asteroid City wasn’t created with the theatrical experience in mind. You may be able to enjoy it on a big-screen TV at home, but that doesn’t compare to the much larger screen of a movie theater.
