Paul Thomas Anderson's New Trailer
"One Battle After Another," directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro, dropped its first trailer with character posters. The film's cinematographer Michael Bauman made history by sweeping ASC, BSC, and BAFTA awards — only the third person ever to achieve this triple crown.
Loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel "Vineland," the film follows "Ghetto" Pat Calhoun (Leonardo DiCaprio), a former radical from a revolutionary group known as the French 75. After years of living off-the-grid in a paranoid, stoned haze while raising his daughter, his past catches up to him when a corrupt military officer from his former life, played by Sean Penn, resurfaces. The narrative is set in a near-future, authoritarian version of America, where DiCaprio's character is forced back into his old life to protect his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). Benicio del Toro plays Sensei Sergio, a martial arts mentor and old comrade who aids them. The film explores themes of anti-fascism and the consequences of past actions. This project marks the first collaboration between director Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio, a partnership the actor had reportedly sought for over two decades. The film's ensemble cast also includes Teyana Taylor as Willa's mother and fellow revolutionary, and Regina Hall as another member of the French 75. The film is also a significant milestone for cinematographer Michael Bauman, marking his third collaboration with Anderson. Bauman's relationship with the director has evolved over the years; he previously served as the gaffer on Anderson's films "The Master" and "Inherent Vice," and was the lighting cameraman on "Phantom Thread." Principal photography took place across California, with the film being one of the first in decades to be shot predominantly on VistaVision, a high-resolution widescreen format from the 1950s. This technical choice contributes to the film's distinct visual style. The movie is also Anderson's most expensive to date, with a budget reportedly between $130 and $175 million.
