'They're so interesting': Wes Anderson hopes to adapt a Charles Dickens story for a movie

Wes Anderson wants to adapt a Charles Dickens story for the big screen.

The acclaimed director has previously helmed a stop-motion take on Roald Dahl's 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' and has revealed that he would love to tackle the work of the celebrated Victorian novelist.

Speaking at the Annecy Animation Festival on Wednesday (12.06.24), Wes said: "I feel like the writer who I would like to adapt – who I don't know if I can see the opportunity – is Dickens.

"I would like to do a big Dickens story. They've all been adapted. They've all been done many times. They're so interesting. People keep going back to them. They're so entertaining and so complex."

Anderson has been working on his latest film 'The Phoenician Scheme' in Germany and says he was joined by frequent collaborators on the set of the movie – which he puts down to his unique methodology on set.

The 55-year-old director said: "This film I just finished making in Germany, there must be a hundred people on the film who have worked with me on other films.

"It could be more who come back – and lots of cast members."

Wes continued: "People who are newcomers on the set or (to) the process of making one of my movies find it strange. It's not necessarily the way movies are normally made. Probably every director is like that. We have our own strange methods, which began in some ways with the first film I made."

The director recalled how the late James Caan was initially puzzled by his approach on his 1996 feature debut 'Bottle Rocket' and had to adapt to working with co-stars Owen and Luke Wilson as a result.

Wes said: "I remember James Caan came to the set of 'Bottle Rocket', and he was really saying, 'What are you guys doing?'

"We were doing things that he thought, 'This is not how much movies are made', but he sort of adapted to us. And so having people who we formed our way of working together, that means things happen quickly, and we inspire each other maybe more easily and readily. We've already kind of smoothed the road a bit."