Paul Thomas Anderson is shooting for an Oscar… or, at least, Oscar-winning actors. The acclaimed director is set to team up with Oscar-winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn for a new, currently untitled film for Warner Bros., according to Deadline. Regina Hall is also set to join the cast.
Beyond that, news on Anderson's upcoming project is scarce. In addition to being as-yet-untitled, the logline is also being kept "under wraps." However, we do know that Anderson has written the script for the film, which takes place in a contemporary setting. It is reportedly the most commercial film Anderson has ever attempted, with a budget that reflects more mass-market appeal. Anderson will produce it with Sara Murphy and Adam Somner.
Anderson's partnership with Warner Bros. came out of his experience making Licorice Pizza, which was produced in part by MGM. Current Warner Bros. Picture Group Co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy were running MGM during Licorice Pizza's production. While Licorice Pizza was ultimately a box office flop, grossing just $33 million against a $40 million production budget, it was critically well-received (though we weren't as high on it in our review) and garnered nominations for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director.
While Dicaprio, Penn, and Hall are scheduled to play the leads, the film is reported to be an ensemble, though no additional details have been revealed at this time.
The move is a victory for Warner Bros., which also recently signed a deal with Tom Cruise to produce and develop both new and original films for the studio. Interestingly, this will not be Paul Thomas Anderson's first rodeo with Warner Bros. That would be 2014's Inherent Vice, a period neo-noir mystery comedy ensemble based on the Thomas Pynchon novel of the same name.
Will Borger is an IGN freelancer. You can find him on Twitter @bywillborger.
