Leonardo DiCaprio Starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest

Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn Join Paul Thomas Anderson’s New Film

Regina Hall is also in the cast for Anderson’s latest, which is based at Warner Bros. but being kept a mystery for now, with a big ensemble planned.

(Left) Leonardo DiCaprio attends the 'Don't Look Up' World Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 05, 2021 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix. (Center) In the category Performance by an actor in a leading role for his role in ÒMilkÓ (Focus Features) actress Sean Penn speaks with the press. The 81st Annual Academy Awards Awards¨ is broadcast live on the ABC Television Network from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA Sunday, February 22, 2009. Credit/Provider: Rick Salyer / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.(Right) Regina Hall in Prime Video's 'Master.'

Preview:

Paul Thomas Anderson is putting together his next film.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Regina Hall will star.
The logline is being kept quiet for now.

It has been a couple of years since Paul Thomas Anderson had a movie in theaters, with 2021’s ‘Licorice Pizza’. Since then, he’s made a music video (‘The Smile: Wall of Eyes’) and been thanked on two recent releases (‘Beau is Afraid’ and ‘American Symphony’).

It appears he’s been taking his time to develop a new movie and is in the process of casting it. As you might expect for the filmmaker, he’s been able to attract some big names, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Regina Hall.

The Battle of Baktan Cross

Not Yet RatedAug 8th, 2025

Plot under wraps. Read the Plot

What’s the story of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest movie?

'Licorice Pizza' director Paul Thomas Anderson

That’s the big mystery about the movie for now –– Anderson hasn’t publicly released the logline for his latest.

All that Deadline was able to discover was that it has a contemporary setting, and that this represents PTA in big, commercial mode.

DiCaprio, Penn and Hall will be the leads in the film, but this one is planned for a large ensemble, suggesting something on the scale of, say, ‘Magnolia’, which also had big stars in its cast.

Who is behind the new movie?

Director Paul Thomas Anderson on the set of 'Licorice Pizza'

Warner Bros. has made a deal with the filmmaker thanks to Picture Group co-chairs/CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who worked with Anderson on ‘Licorice Pizza’ when they were at MGM. That resulted in three Oscar nominations, so you can understand why the director might want to work with them again, and especially with the big machine of a studio like Warners to help promote the movie.

It’s also a win for the studio, which was able to secure DiCaprio’s services at a time when he’s in the middle of awards season for his role in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’.

Penn, meanwhile, has a couple of new movies due this year with ‘Daddio’ and ‘Gonzo Girl’, while this also marks a reunion with Anderson after his small, yet memorable role in ‘Pizza’.

And Hall (who produced ‘Gonzo Girl’) is shooting musical drama ‘O’Dessa’, while also being part of upcoming comedy series ‘Q Talks’, in which actors will give talks on expert subjects they’ve never studied and scripts they’re seeing for the first time.