After a relatively public first wave of production for Paul Thomas Anderson’s next feature across California, things have recently been kicking back up after a few quiet months. Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn were recently spotted in the northeast of San Diego at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in scenes featuring high-speed cars, crashes, and gunplay as PTA is clearly making the most of his $115 million budget and IMAX release. Now, we have a new addition to the ensemble.
Benicio del Toro, who gave one of the best performances of his career as Sauncho Smilax, Esq. in PTA’s last Thomas Pynchon adaptation, Inherent Vice, will reteam with the director. The news was buried deep in a THR article about Hollywood layers noting under Steve Warren: “Clients Benicio del Toro and Leonardo DiCaprio will co-star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film — after del Toro finishes work on Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme.”
With a cast also including Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Alana Haim, and Chase Infiniti, along with a score by Jonny Greenwood, WB has set the film for an August 8, 2025 wide release. The question still remains if Anderson is indeed adapting Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, but the evidence continues to pile up it’s at least a loose, potentially modern interpretation of that sprawling 1990 novel: Infiniti potentially playing DiCaprio’s daughter, shooting taking place in Eureka as well as outside of Ronald Reagan’s old house, while DiCaprio was captured on set saying lines lifted directly from the novel.
Here’s hoping WB goes the Nolan route with this one and gives us a first teaser at the end of the year. In the meantime, check out some snaps from the set.
The post Benicio del Toro Reteams with Paul Thomas Anderson For Next Feature first appeared on The Film Stage.
