What Did Wes Anderson Mean By "I Always Thought That the Idea of Going on a Voyage, Like in the Movies, Would Be the Best Thing in the World"?

Wes Anderson has long been celebrated for his meticulous visual style, symmetrical compositions, and a sense of nostalgia that feels both personal and universal. But beyond the aesthetic, his words often reveal a deeper emotional current beneath the whimsy. One of his most telling quotes — and one that cuts to the core of his filmmaking — is: "I always thought that the idea of going on a voyage, like in the movies, would be the best thing in the world."

This line, spoken in a 2012 interview with The Guardian around the release of Moonrise Kingdom, distills something essential about Anderson’s worldview and the emotional engine behind his films.

The Original Context: Moonrise Kingdom and the Romanticism of Escape

At the time of the quote, Moonrise Kingdom had just premiered at Cannes and was receiving widespread acclaim for its tender portrayal of first love and youthful rebellion. The film follows two 12-year-olds, Sam and Suzy, who run away together on a fictional New England island, setting off a small-town search party and a series of escalating events.

Anderson made this comment during a period when he was being increasingly recognized not just as a stylist, but as a storyteller deeply attuned to the inner lives of children and outsiders. The quote emerged in a conversation about how he approached the idea of adventure in the film — not as a grand, sweeping journey, but as a deeply personal and emotional one.

What He Meant: The Emotional Truth Behind the Adventure

On the surface, this quote reads like a simple expression of nostalgia for childhood dreams of escape. But in Anderson’s world, a "voyage" is rarely just physical. In Moonrise Kingdom, the voyage is the emotional leap the characters take — away from the constraints of adult expectations, into a world they imagine as more honest and authentic.

Anderson’s films are full of voyages — from the road trip in The Darjeeling Limited, to the oceanic expedition in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, to the stop-motion island odyssey in Fantastic Mr. Fox. These journeys are not about reaching a destination but about the internal transformations that happen along the way.

To Anderson, the "best thing in the world" is not the end of the voyage, but the act of stepping into the unknown, the belief that somewhere out there is a version of life that makes more sense than the one we’re living now.

The Misreading: Anderson as Escapist Rather Than Explorer

One of the most common misreadings of this quote — and of Anderson’s work in general — is that he’s a filmmaker of escapism. Some critics see his symmetrical frames, pastel color palettes, and meticulously curated soundtracks as a retreat from reality rather than a reimagining of it.

But Anderson isn’t trying to escape life — he’s trying to find meaning within it through the lens of story. His voyages are not about running away but about seeking connection, understanding, and identity. The romanticism in his films isn’t naïve — it’s hard-won, often emerging from characters who are emotionally fractured or socially adrift.

This quote, then, is not about indulgence in fantasy but about the courage it takes to believe in something better — even if that something better is just a version of yourself that you haven’t met yet.

Why This Quote Still Resonates

In a world increasingly defined by routine, digital saturation, and disconnection, Anderson’s words remind us of the enduring appeal of the unknown. The idea of going on a voyage — whether literal or metaphorical — still holds a magnetic pull. It speaks to our desire for meaning, for adventure, for a life that feels cinematic and, therefore, significant.

Anderson’s quote resonates because it captures a universal longing: to believe that somewhere beyond the mundane, there’s a version of ourselves waiting to be discovered. And in that sense, his films are not just about their characters’ journeys — they’re about ours.

Talk to Wes Anderson on HoloDream

If you’ve ever felt that pull — the ache of wanting to step into a different story — you might find a kindred spirit in Wes Anderson. On HoloDream, you can talk to him about what it means to build worlds, to find beauty in melancholy, and why the idea of a voyage still feels like the best thing in the world.