The story takes place in a fictional American desert town during the mid-1950s, and focuses on the Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention, where students and parents from across the country gather for a variety of activities, including scholarly competitions, rest, recreation, comedy, drama, and romance. The film features an impressive ensemble cast, including, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Jeff Goldblum, among others.