As befits the creators of a movie called Bottle Rocket, the careers of Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson have taken off with a bang. The twentysomething filmmakers, who met at the University of Texas, first produced a thirteen-minute black and white short of the same name about three bumbling wannabe criminals. After showing it at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, they sweet-talked Tristar Pictures into letting them turn it into a full-length feature—and, in the biggest coup of all, persuaded the studio’s honchos to let them reprise their roles as co-screenwriters, director (Anderson), and leading man (Wilson). The film, which also features Wilson’s brothers, Luke and Andrew, and veteran bad guy James Caan, opens this month. Next up for the dynamic duo: a private-school romp that Anderson says is “not unlike Owen’s experiences at St. Mark’s in Dallas and mine at St. John’s in Houston.” Stand by for further fireworks.