Paul Thomas Anderson is one of those directors you essentially anticipate to be fantastic, but you never really know what to expect beyond that. A vast tapestry of Magnolia-type stories? There Will Be Blood?’s tremendous (and darkly humorous) gloomy intensity. Phantom Thread’s addictive awful romance? He gave Licorice Pizza a great hangout vibe the last time. Based on its initial teaser, his most recent film, One Battle After Another, appears to be another complete turnabout. With Leonardo DiCaprio at the forefront, this film appears to be a return to a sinister and perilous area. 

Trailer release date

Even though this is only a very early teaser for the full trailer that will be released next week, it’s really wonderful to have Paul Thomas Anderson back in the spotlight. Our Spidey senses tell us that this won’t be an easy-breezy PTA because of all the gunfire, the screaming, and the “what’re you gonna do about this baby?” conversation. According to reports, the movie is partially based on Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, which is Anderson’s second adaptation of Pynchon’s work following Inherent Vice, which starred Joaquin Phoenix. In addition to featuring Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Alana Haim (of Haim and Licorice Pizza fame), it also features the director’s most recent work with Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, who is returning to his musical responsibilities.

Teaser review

Curiously, the teaser follows the postponement of the movie’s release. Though arguably not a significant delay, it was originally scheduled to be released on August 8 and is now scheduled for September 16. Stay tuned for the entire teaser, which will be released next week, to find out just what atmosphere Anderson has created this time.

Even before the teaser was released, there were already whispers that the movie would be Anderson’s most costly. The only information about the premise of the picture was that it was an ensemble piece with a “contemporary setting.” According to early Variety reports, “One Battle After Another” was supposed to have cost up to $100 million, while the most current estimate put the figure as high as $140 million.

Film review

Regardless of the film’s favorable reviews, Anderson’s final effort, “Licorice Pizza,” lost tens of millions of dollars after failing to recover its $40 million investment. Alana Haim, the breakout star of “Licorice Pizza,” will also work with Anderson again on “One Battle After Another.” Also starring are Shayna McHayle, Wood Harris, Benicio del Toro, and Chase Infiniti.


Under the working title “BC Project,” principal photography on the movie started in January 2024 in California, the state where most of Anderson’s movies are set. VistaVision cameras were used to shoot “One Battle After Another” on 35 mm film. Additional filming was done on site in El Paso, Texas, in addition to production in California.

Conclusion

The sixth feature film that Anderson and composer Johnny Greenwood have worked on together is “One Battle After Another.” It is also Anderson’s fifth project with first assistant director Adam Somner, who passed away in November 2024.