A scorched horizon. A man running from God, or toward something worse. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, One Battle After Another, is a neo-Western fever dream set against the sun-bleached backdrop of the American Southwest. At its core: Leonardo DiCaprio, playing a character caught between ideology and instinct, belief and survival.

Even with the limited knowledge we do have, this film feels like Paul Thomas Anderson doing what he does best: crafting stories that feel carved from bone. DiCaprio is also stepping into new terrain – stripped back, burning slow – and truthfully, with a title like One Battle After Another, the film already read like a prophecy. One we’re not quite ready for, but will follow into the dust all the same.

Below, we're sharing everything you need to know about One Battle After Another, including plot details and a potential release date.

What is the plot?

Details are being held close to the chest (as is custom with PTA), but early whispers suggest DiCaprio plays a radio preacher-turned-outlaw, or perhaps a revolutionary. The story is original – written by Anderson himself – and steeped in themes of political disillusionment and cultural decay. It’s part outlaw saga, part existential reckoning, and entirely uninterested in easy answers. This isn’t about heroes. It’s about what happens when myth meets modernity – and the American dream curdles in the heat.

Who else is involved?

Casting details are still under wraps, but with Anderson at the helm, we’re expecting a tightly woven ensemble of hypnotic performances and unnerving stillness. This is a world where every stare holds a secret. Where the dust doesn’t settle – it lingers.

Here's your first look at a teaser trailer

Do we have a release date?

Production kicks off this year, with a 2026 release date loosely circled in red. Netflix is backing the film, offering Anderson his largest budget yet – space to build out his vision with scale, texture and intent.