The trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s much-anticipated One Battle After Another has finally arrived, and it’s as explosive and bizarre as fans hoped. Leonardo DiCaprio is front and center, fully unhinged and rifle-ready, shouting “Viva la revolución!” while barreling through sun-scorched desert roads, all set to the backdrop of chaotic action, political satire, and sharp cinematography. This is Anderson like you’ve never seen him—bigger, louder, and weirder.
The film, hitting theaters and IMAX on September 26, marks Anderson’s tenth feature and his first collaboration with DiCaprio. Based loosely on Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, the movie fuses high-octane caper energy with the director’s signature philosophical subtext.
An All-Star Cast in the California Wilds
Shot extensively across California, including the sprawling Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Ocotillo Wells, One Battle After Another grounds its larger-than-life story in some very real, rugged terrain. The Desert Sun first broke news of the shoot in 2024, with locals capturing videos of DiCaprio in a “man-bun,” clutching a rifle, and marching through smoke-filled crash sites.
DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson, a disheveled revolutionary haunted by his past with the vigilante group French 75. Years after the group’s dissolution, Bob is on the run, trying to protect his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from a relentless cop played by Sean Penn. Supporting the lead duo are Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Wood Harris, and Alana Haim, rounding out a cast as unpredictable as the film itself.
The trailer teases wild martial arts schools, tense car chases, and a theatrical DiCaprio performance that oscillates between farce and fury. One standout scene even shows him diving out of a moving vehicle—a likely candidate for a future GIF classic.
Filming Locations: From Borrego to Sacramento
California serves as more than a backdrop—it’s practically a character. According to official permits and local reports, Anderson’s crew filmed in multiple iconic locales:
- Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area – Used for chase sequences, smoky embankments, and large-scale stunt setups involving 24 production vehicles.
- Sacramento’s Tower Bridge and Superior Courthouse – Offering a touch of political theater amid the chaos.
- Humboldt County Redwoods – A surreal visual contrast, with helicopters soaring above ancient trees.
In Borrego Springs, photographer Sicco Rood documented key scenes, including DiCaprio’s roadside standoff and a dramatic vehicle crash near Montezuma Grade. The scope is vast, the action intense, and the desert aesthetics give the film a dust-blown grandeur rarely seen in modern blockbusters.
A Big Budget Gamble and a Fortnite Tie-In
Despite Anderson’s arthouse pedigree—his highest-grossing film, There Will Be Blood, made $76.2 million globally—One Battle After Another comes with a $140 million budget, signaling a major shift. Warner Bros. is clearly betting big, hoping the mixture of high-concept storytelling and crowd-pleasing spectacle will hit with mainstream audiences.
And to hedge that bet, WB is taking the marketing game to Fortnite. A teaser recreating the trailer’s opening scene—featuring in-game character Agent Jones instead of DiCaprio—signals the film’s digital push. While no official DiCaprio skins are planned, a themed Fortnite island is likely, akin to previous marketing experiments by The Tonight Show and even presidential campaigns.
Whether this ambitious fusion of Pynchon’s offbeat political satire and blockbuster set-pieces resonates with younger audiences remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: One Battle After Another is anything but conventional.
Final Word
Between Anderson’s reputation, DiCaprio’s mania-fueled performance, and a marketing rollout that spans deserts and digital worlds, One Battle After Another is shaping up to be the most unpredictable release of 2025. Whether it becomes a cult classic, an Oscar juggernaut, or a misunderstood epic, fans and critics alike will be watching closely this fall.
One Battle After Another storms into theaters September 26. Buckle up—it’s going to be a wild ride.
