Few new 2025 films have the same mystique as Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” and that’s why it ranks at the top of The Playlist’s Most Anticipated Films of the Year. Even on paper, this project raises eyebrows. It’s a blockbuster adaptation (Anderson’s largest budget by a wide margin) of a little-read Thomas Pynchon novel from 1990, starring one of Hollywood’s biggest stars (Leonardo DiCaprio), and set for a premier IMAX release this September. If that’s not the biggest swing a film studio takes all year, what is?
And who doesn’t love a big swing? Sure, “One Battle After Another” is a risky venture for Warner Bros., but in a cinematic landscape littered with a glut of superhero movies and recycled IP, it’s a breath of fresh air to see something original get this kind of boost. But will Anderson’s latest pay off for the director and the studio, or will his long-awaited team-up with DiCaprio fall flat on its face? The first trailer for the film, linked below, will fuel that debate.
Here’s an official synopsis for “One Battle After Another,” courtesy of Warner Bros.:
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Academy Award-nominated, BAFTA-winning filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson comes “One Battle After Another,” starring Academy Award and BAFTA winner Leonardo DiCaprio. Oscar and BAFTA winners Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn also star alongside Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, as well as Wood Harris and Alana Haim. Anderson directs from his own screenplay, and produces alongside Oscar and BAFTA nominees Adam Somner and Sara Murphy, with Will Weiske executive producing. The creative team behind the camera includes several frequent collaborators, among them directors of photography Michael Bauman and Anderson; Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning production designer Florencia Martin; BAFTA-nominated editor Andy Jurgensen; Oscar and BAFTA-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood; casting director Cassandra Kulukundis; and with music by Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated composer Jonny Greenwood.
“One Day After Another” also stars Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Alana Haim, Wood Harris, and Shayne McHayle, aka Junglepussy.
Along with directing, Anderson adapts Pynchon’s novel for the big screen. Anderson also produces the film with Sara Murphy, Adam Somner, and JoAnne Sellar. And Johnny Greenwood continues his longstanding collaboration with Anderson, composing music for the movie.
“One Battle After Another” hits theaters on September 26, which means it will almost certainly get a Fall festival world premiere. Maybe on the Lido in Venice? Stay tuned for that, and in the meantime, check out the first trailer for the film below.
