Top Wes Anderson Films Ranked

Wes Anderson’s latest cinematic confection, The Phoenician Scheme, has just arrived in theaters, continuing his signature tradition of meticulously framed storytelling and idiosyncratic charm. The film features another stellar ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, and more, all woven into the kind of narrative only Anderson could craft.

In honor of this theatrical release—and to get you thinking while you sip your artisanal coffee from a vintage mug—we’ve ranked all of Wes Anderson’s feature films, beginning with his debut, Bottle Rocket, which not only launched the career of Owen Wilson but also set the stage for one of modern cinema’s most distinctive auteurs.

What makes a Wes Anderson film so unforgettable? Perhaps it's the symmetrical compositions, the nostalgia-tinged soundtracks, or the recurring themes of fractured families and eccentric outsiders. Whether he's navigating life aboard a ship, inside a train, through a European hotel, or via stop-motion animation, Anderson brings a unique visual and emotional sensibility to every frame.

From early indie gems to lavishly designed masterpieces, each of his films offers its own peculiar brand of melancholy and charm—like a carefully curated diorama of human emotion dressed in corduroy and scored to The Kinks.

So, where do your favorites land on our list? Do you gravitate toward the scrappy charm of his earlier work, or are you drawn more to the refined elegance of his recent output?

Explore our ranking of Wes Anderson’s movies and see how your personal favorite stacks up.

Note: While The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar—both as a standalone short and as part of the four-film Roald Dahl collection—is indeed a Wes Anderson creation, it is excluded from this ranking due to its separate digital release on Netflix rather than a traditional theatrical run.

Ranking Wes Anderson’s Movies

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