Best Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked: His Whole Filmography
In short: Our ranking of Wes Anderson's twelve features: The Grand Budapest Hotel first, then Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore. Newcomers should start with Grand Budapest or Fantastic Mr. Fox. His most recent feature is The Phoenician Scheme (2025), and his short The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar won him his first Oscar.
Get movie picks based on this article
Want a film with style to spare? Get picks matched to your mood.
Get movie picksPrefer to answer a few questions? Take the 8-question movie quiz →The ranking
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
A legendary concierge (Ralph Fiennes) and his lobby boy in a fading European hotel between the wars. Funny, fast and melancholy; four Oscars.
2. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Two 12-year-olds run away together on a New England island in 1965. Anderson at his most tender.
3. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Stop-motion Roald Dahl, with George Clooney's fox planning one last raid. Perfect for any age.
4. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
A family of failed prodigies and their con-man father (Gene Hackman). His breakthrough to a wider audience.
5. Rushmore (1998)
An overachieving 15-year-old (Jason Schwartzman) and a sad tycoon (Bill Murray) compete for the same teacher.
6. Asteroid City (2023)
A play within a TV programme about a desert stargazer convention interrupted by an alien. Layered and wistful.
7. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Bill Murray's oceanographer hunts the shark that ate his partner, with Seu Jorge singing Bowie in Portuguese.
8. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Three estranged brothers on a train across India.
9. Isle of Dogs (2018)
Stop-motion dogs exiled to a garbage island in a future Japan.
10. The French Dispatch (2021)
Three stories from a New Yorker-style magazine. His densest film.
11. The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
Benicio del Toro's ruthless tycoon and his nun daughter on a 1950s business scheme.
12. Bottle Rocket (1996)
His scrappy debut, with Owen and Luke Wilson as hopeless would-be thieves.
Where to start
The Grand Budapest Hotel shows everything he does well. If you prefer short and gentle, Fantastic Mr. Fox. If you like coming-of-age stories, Moonrise Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start with Wes Anderson? The Grand Budapest Hotel for his style at its fullest, or Fantastic Mr. Fox if you want something shorter and lighter.
Has Wes Anderson won an Oscar? Yes, for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which won Best Live Action Short Film in 2024. His features have earned many nominations.
Want a movie for tonight?
Our movie quiz can match one to your mood, with runtimes for each pick.