One Battle After Another is the latest star-studded Paul Thomas Anderson movie in the iconic filmmaker’s growing portfolio. The 11-time Oscar-nominated visionary is known to wrangle together impressive ensembles, but this serves as his first ever collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio. To that, One Battle After Another is gathering a lot of traction ahead of its release.
Another interesting aspect of the film is with the fact that it is described as an action-comedy, a first for Anderson. Judging by the trailer, this flick will serve up a very striking tonal shift to his usual style. What’s more, the same can be said for lead star Leonardo DiCaprio. So, let’s break down everything we know about this anticipated vehicle so far.
What Is the Plot of One Battle After Another?
Directed by Anderson from his own screenplay, One Battle After Another centres on Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), a former member of a mercenary group who wrangles together his dangerous buddies when his daughter is kidnapped by an old nemesis. Outside of what the logline has provided, further plot points are blurry at this point. However, the trailer showcases that this will be a blend of action, comedy, and drama. Seeing as the film is loosely based on the 1990 novel, Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, some educated guesses can be taken as to what territories the movie may venture into.
Pynchon’s Vineland, which is set in 1984 and examines the political and cultural upheaval as America moved from the idealistic 1960s into the Reagan-era 1980s, is confirmed to have served as the inspiration for the movie. It centers on erstwhile radicals and revolutionaries who are struggling with how their society has changed. The novel’s Northern California setting, with its countercultural remnants and political tensions, provides rich thematic material for Anderson’s adaptation. However, One Battle After Another updates this premise for the modern era, transforming Pynchon’s meditation on political disillusionment into what appears to be a more action-driven narrative.
With the film’s reported budget of $135 million and Anderson’s reputation for unique, sprawling narratives, moviegoers can expect a comprehensive exploration of the source material’s themes. Clocking in at a 2 hours 50 minutes runtime, this extended length should allow Anderson ample time to develop the complex character relationships and political backdrop that make Pynchon’s work so distinctive, while also delivering the action-comedy elements promised in the trailer. The change to a modern setting is especially intriguing since it raises the possibility that Anderson is comparing the political disillusionment of Pynchon’s protagonists from the 1980s to current issues with activism, idealism, and the delicate passage of time.
Will This Be Leonardo DiCaprio’s Most Commercial Movie To Date?
Leonardo DiCaprio is certainly no stranger to big-budget spectacles and box office triumphs. His breakout leading role in James Cameron‘s Titanic became the highest grossing film at the worldwide box office and catapulted him to worldwide fame. Since then, he’s consistently delivered commercially successful films across various genres, from epic, sweeping dramas like Gangs of New York to crime dramas like The Departed, and The Wolf of Wall Street. Yet, One Battle After Another is his first foray into the action-comedy genre, which has the potential to be very profitable and increase his commercial appeal to those looking for lighter, more escapist fare.
Excitement and intrigue aside, this anticipated flick does serve as a huge financial gamble, as it marks Anderson’s most expensive movie to date. Although initial reports stated that the budget was $130 million, rumours have been swirling around Hollywood that this eventually ballooned to as much as $175 million, which is more than double Anderson’s typical budget, considering his highest-grossing movie There Will Be Blood took in only $76 million at the box office. While DiCaprio frequently commands salaries of $20 million for films, the massive budget still leaves plenty of room for the spectacular action sequences promised – gun fights, explosions, and the kind of large-scale set pieces that could attract mainstream audiences.
Yet, it’s worth noting that the Paul Thomas Anderson factor complicates any straightforward commercial predictions. Even while One Battle After Another has a huge budget equipped for its action-comedy components, if we examine Anderson’s tastes, we can assume that his film will likely defy genre expectations rather than produce a typical crowd-pleaser. While it is evident that comedy is on display, it will likely be delivered in the form of dark comedy. This unique combination – DiCaprio’s star power in an accessible genre, filtered through Anderson’s auteur vision and backed by unprecedented resources – creates an intriguing commercial wildcard that could either attract both arthouse and mainstream audiences, or potentially alienate viewers expecting a conventional action-comedy romp.
Further Details: Supporting Cast & Release Date
One Battle After Another is set for release on September 26, 2025. It will open theatrically under Warner Bros. Pictures. Alongside DiCaprio is a plethora of Hollywood’s finest. Sean Penn is reportedly playing the film’s evil antagonist, and Benicio Del Toro will star as an ally of DiCaprio’s Ferguson. Frequent Paul Thomas Anderson collaborator and musician Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) will also join the cast alongside Teyana Taylor, and Regina Hall.
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