Alright movie lovers get ready to have your minds blown because the first official trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's super secretive new flick, One Battle After Another, is finally here! And let me tell you it's shaping up to be classic PTA weirdness but with a dash of DiCaprio crazy thrown in for good measure. Seriously this movie looks absolutely wild and we are here for every second of it.
Leonardo DiCaprio Goes Full-On Nutty Revolutionary in Paul Thomas Anderson's Latest Project
So what is One Battle After Another actually about? Well for a while there it was all hush-hush with just whispers and rumors. But the trailer gives us a peek into the madness. Leonardo DiCaprio is playing a character named Bob Ferguson and he is unlike anything we have seen Leo tackle before. Think wacky disheveled and possibly losing his marbles revolutionary type.
The trailer kicks off with Bob in a beanie and bathrobe making a frantic call from a payphone. He is trying to rally some rebel buddies but hilariously forgets the codewords. Yep already hooked. Turns out Bob is on a mission to save his daughter and things are going to get complicated. Benicio del Toro shows up as Bob's sensei teaching him how to ditch fear in a rather extreme way – by pushing him out of a speeding car. Because why not?
We also get glimpses of Teyana Taylor Sean Penn Regina Hall Alana Haim and Wood Harris all looking like they are part of this chaotic revolution. The whole thing feels like a trippy ride through some kind of rebellious fever dream. And the trailer ends with DiCaprio screaming "Viva la revolución!" before he and Del Toro gear up to fight... well whoever is standing in their way. It's intense funny and completely intriguing.
Inspired by Pynchon Shot on 35mm: Classic PTA Filmmaking is Back
For the film nerds out there you will be happy to know PTA is keeping it real. He wrote and directed One Battle After Another and shot it on good old 35mm film using VistaVision cameras. This is the kind of filmmaking that just feels right for a Paul Thomas Anderson movie giving it that rich cinematic texture we all crave. They filmed in California and even headed to El Paso Texas for some location shooting.
Word is the movie's got a hefty budget rumored to be around $140 million making it PTA's most expensive film to date. That is a lot of cash for a PTA flick which usually lean more indie-ish but with DiCaprio on board and the scale of this revolution maybe it makes sense.
Oh and if you are wondering about the inspiration rumor has it that One Battle After Another is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's mind-bending novel Vineland. If you know Pynchon you know to expect the unexpected. Crazy plots paranoia and a whole lot of weirdness are pretty much guaranteed.
Oscar Buzz Already? DiCaprio and Anderson Team Up for Potential Awards Gold
Any time Paul Thomas Anderson makes a movie the Oscar-meter starts buzzing. He is been nominated eleven times over his career though still waiting for that win. Licorice Pizza his last film even got nods for Best Picture Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. And of course Leonardo DiCaprio is no stranger to Oscar glory himself.
This is actually DiCaprio's first time working with Anderson which is kind of surprising considering they are both huge names in Hollywood. DiCaprio is coming off Killers of the Flower Moon which was nominated for a ton of Oscars itself. Could One Battle After Another be the movie that finally gets PTA his statue or adds another one to Leo's collection? It is definitely early days but the trailer alone has people talking.
Mark Your Calendars: 'One Battle After Another' Coming to Theaters This September
If you are itching to see DiCaprio go full revolutionary and dive into PTA's latest cinematic trip you will not have to wait too long. One Battle After Another is hitting theaters on September 26th courtesy of Warner Bros. And for you big screen fanatics it will even be getting IMAX screenings for that extra immersive experience.
Key Players in 'One Battle After Another':
- Director & Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Star: Leonardo DiCaprio (as Bob Ferguson)
- Supporting Cast: Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Alana Haim, Wood Harris, Chase Infiniti, Shayna McHayle (Junglepussy)
- Inspiration: Rumored to be inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel "Vineland"
- Release Date: September 26, 2025 (Theatrical and IMAX)
- Studio: Warner Bros.
Get Ready for a Wild Ride: 'One Battle After Another' Promises to Be a Must-See
So yeah One Battle After Another looks like it is going to be something special. DiCaprio going all-in on a crazy character PTA directing a Pynchon-esque plot and a killer cast? Sign us up twice. This is definitely one to put on your must-see movie list for 2025. Get ready for revolution chaos and maybe just maybe some Oscar buzz thrown in for good measure. September cannot come soon enough!