The Phoenician Scheme Worldwide Box Office: Wes Anderson Hits Career Low As Black Comedy Underperforms Despite Cannes Praise & Star Power

Wes Anderson might hit his career low box office performance with The Phoenician Scheme. Details inside!

- July 7, 2025 | 7:57 PM IST

Is The Phoenician Scheme Wes Anderson’s Lowest-Grossing Film? — Wes Anderson Hits Career Low With The Phoenician Scheme’s Underwhelming Box Office Run ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The Phoenician Scheme marked a return to familiar territory for Wes Anderson, but the results have not gone his way this time. He enjoyed a steady rhythm for years with the help of his controlled budgets, banking on his loyal audience and dependable box office returns. However, that rhythm broke after the pandemic as his recent films have not kept pace, and The Phoenician Scheme is on track to become his weakest performer in nearly twenty years.

Are you very terribly pure? pic.twitter.com/BFu2u00lE8

— The Phoenician Scheme (@phoenicianmovie) June 27, 2025

The Phoenician Scheme Struggles At The Box Office

The film has made $18 million in the US and added another $17 million from international markets, putting its global total at $36 million, per Box Office Mojo. It barely covers the costs of a production budget of $30 million.

The Phoenician Scheme Box Office Summary

Domestic – $18 million
International – $17 million
Worldwide – $36 million

Anderson’s last two films, The French Dispatch and Asteroid City were made on similar budgets. Only Asteroid City earned $53 million globally, while The French Dispatch wrapped up around $46 million.

Star Power & Critical Praise Didn’t Boost The Phoenician Scheme’s Revenue

The Phoenician Scheme is barely hanging on in a few hundred theaters in the US. From here, it will depend on international earnings and digital release to stay afloat. Despite a solid cast featuring Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, and Tom Hanks, the numbers and a warm reception at Cannes have not matched the acclaim. Critics responded fairly well, as the film holds a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that has not translated into strong ticket sales.

According to Collider, this is Anderson’s lowest box office performance since The Darjeeling Limited ($35 million) back in 2007. A few years ago, he found success with short films for Netflix, even bagging an Oscar for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, but theatrical releases seem to be a tougher sell now. The Phoenician Scheme will hit PVOD platforms soon, which might offer a final bump, but its theatrical journey is nearly done.