ⓘ Details

Movie TitleMoonrise Kingdom

Release DateMay 25, 2012 limited U.S. release / June 29, 2012 wide U.S. release

TaglineA tormenting and surprising story of children and adults during the stormy days of the summer of 1965.

Runtime94 minutes / 1 hour 34 minutes

DirectorWes Anderson

Screenplay Written ByWes Anderson and Roman Coppola

Based OnOriginal screenplay by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

Is It a Remake?No. Moonrise Kingdom is an original coming-of-age comedy-drama.

BudgetApproximately $16 million

Box OfficeApprox. $45.5 million domestic / Approx. $68.3 million worldwide

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👥 Main Cast

Jared GilmanSam Shakusky

Kara HaywardSuzy Bishop

Bruce WillisCaptain Sharp

Edward NortonScout Master Ward

Bill MurrayWalt Bishop

Frances McDormandLaura Bishop

Tilda SwintonSocial Services

Jason SchwartzmanCousin Ben

Bob BalabanNarrator

Harvey KeitelCommander Pierce

Lucas HedgesRedford

Charlie KilgoreLazy-Eye

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🏆 Awards

⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Writing, Original Screenplay, Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

⭐ Golden Globe Nominee — Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

⭐ BAFTA Nominee — Best Original Screenplay, Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

⭐ AFI Awards Honoree — One of AFI’s Movies of the Year for 2012

⭐ Gotham Independent Film Award Winner — Best Feature

⭐ Independent Spirit Award Nominee — Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Supporting Male

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📖 Short Plot Summary

On the fictional New England island of New Penzance in 1965, orphaned Khaki Scout Sam Shakusky runs away with Suzy Bishop, a troubled local girl he met during a church production. As the two young romantics hike into the wilderness and build their own tiny world, Scout Master Ward, Captain Sharp, Suzy’s parents, Sam’s troop, and a chilly representative from Social Services launch a search that grows more urgent as a major storm approaches the island.

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❝ Key Quotes

“I love you, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.” — Sam Shakusky

“Was he a good dog?” — Sam Shakusky

“Why do you always use binoculars?” — Sam Shakusky

“It helps me see things closer, even if they’re not very far away.” — Suzy Bishop

“Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!” — Scout Master Ward

“We’re in love. We just want to be together. What’s wrong with that?” — Sam Shakusky

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💡 Trivia

Director

Moonrise Kingdom was directed by Wes Anderson and co-written by Anderson and Roman Coppola.
The film was Anderson’s first live-action feature after Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Anderson uses his signature symmetrical framing, storybook production design, precise camera movement, and deadpan performances to build the film’s fictional island world.
The movie earned Anderson and Coppola an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Cast / Casting

Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward made their feature-film debuts as Sam and Suzy.
The ensemble includes several major Anderson collaborators and first-time Anderson cast members, including Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Bob Balaban.
Bruce Willis plays Captain Sharp, a lonely local police officer who becomes increasingly protective of Sam.
Edward Norton plays Scout Master Ward, giving the troop leader a mix of sincerity, awkwardness, and total commitment to scouting procedure.
Tilda Swinton’s character is credited as Social Services, turning a government role into an almost fairy-tale figure of authority.

Soundtrack / Score

Alexandre Desplat composed original music for the film.
The soundtrack prominently features music by Benjamin Britten, including selections connected to Noye’s Fludde and The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
ABKCO’s soundtrack notes also credit percussion compositions by longtime Anderson collaborator Mark Mothersbaugh.
The soundtrack includes music by Hank Williams, Françoise Hardy, Leonard Bernstein, and other classical selections, giving the film its mix of childlike order, romantic longing, and offbeat melancholy.

Location

The story is set on the fictional island of New Penzance off the coast of New England.
The film was shot in Rhode Island, with the Rhode Island Film & TV Office describing it as having been shot entirely in the state.
Rhode Island’s coastlines, coves, woods, church spaces, and vintage-looking locations help create the movie’s 1965 island atmosphere.
The location work supports the film’s storybook feeling: the island feels specific, mapped, and handmade, but still slightly imaginary.

Behind-The-Scenes

The film was produced by Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, and Jeremy Dawson.
Focus Features distributed the film in the United States.
Moonrise Kingdom opened the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and competed for the Palme d’Or.
The Numbers lists the production budget at approximately $16 million.
Box Office Mojo lists the film’s worldwide box office at approximately $68.3 million.

Nostalgia

The film is set in the summer of 1965, and its props, costumes, scout gear, books, records, and portable technology are central to its nostalgic texture.
Sam’s Khaki Scout equipment and Suzy’s binoculars, books, record player, and suitcase make their runaway romance feel like a carefully packed childhood expedition.
The movie plays like a memory of childhood adventure filtered through adult sadness, family dysfunction, and first-love intensity.
Its handmade maps, uniforms, letters, and stage-play details give the whole film the feel of a diorama come to life.

Easter Eggs

The church production of Britten’s Noye’s Fludde mirrors the film’s flood and storm imagery.
Bob Balaban’s narrator functions almost like a living field guide to the island, giving weather, geography, and local-history context.
Suzy’s fictional library books were created for the film, and the movie pauses to show their covers and titles as part of Anderson’s storybook style.
The Khaki Scout camp, maps, badges, and troop procedures turn the search for Sam and Suzy into both a rescue mission and an elaborate childhood game.
The final storm gives the film a miniature disaster-movie climax while still staying inside Anderson’s tightly controlled visual world.

Misc.

Moonrise Kingdom is rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking.
The film received a 2012 AFI Award as one of the year’s outstanding American movies.
Rotten Tomatoes lists the film’s genre as comedy, drama, and romance, while Box Office Mojo categorizes it across adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy, and romance.
Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Moonrise Kingdom as Episode 98, with Don rating it 4.25, Ken rating it 4.25, Jon rating it 3.25, and an overall rating of 3.92.

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