Leo DiCaprio Stars in One Battle After Another, Trailer Drops Ahead of Fall Release

Warner Bros. has announced a new release date for Paul Thomas Anderson's highly anticipated film, One Battle After Another, now set to debut on September 16. The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was originally scheduled for an August release, but the studio decided to push it back for a global Imax release and to better position the film for awards season, as most Oscar contenders hit theaters in the fall. The move has sparked speculation that the studio is hoping to set DiCaprio up for a second Oscar, particularly after his critically acclaimed performance in Killers of the Flower Moon.

In the first teaser trailer, released on March 20, DiCaprio’s character is seen pensively sipping a beer while intercut with shots of a pregnant woman firing a machine gun, a baby, and an unforgiving desert landscape, according to Vulture. A voice ominously asks, “What are you gonna do about this baby?” The trailer’s surreal tone and unsettling imagery suggest that One Battle After Another will blend dark humor and existential themes, keeping audiences on edge.

The film, which is Anderson's most expensive to date with a $140 million budget, is loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, a postmodern tale set in 1984 California that explores the cultural shift from the 1960s counterculture to Reagan-era conservatism. Anderson, known for his avant-garde storytelling, is adapting the material into a contemporary setting, though how much of Pynchon’s vision will remain intact is still unclear. In addition to DiCaprio, the impressive cast includes Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Anderson regulars like Alana Haim. With such a star-studded ensemble, the film is sure to garner significant attention when it releases later this year.