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One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another is a 2025 American action-comedy-thriller film written, directed, and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

One Battle After Another is a 2025 American action-comedy-thriller film written, directed, and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, it follows a former revolutionary who is pulled back into conflict when an old enemy returns and his daughter goes missing. The ensemble cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.

Premise

The film centres on a former revolutionary who has been living off-grid before being drawn back into danger when an old enemy returns and his daughter goes missing. The plot is loosely inspired by Vineland, though the film is set in a different era from the novel.

Production

One Battle After Another was written, directed, and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It adapts and reinterprets themes from Thomas Pynchon's Vineland.

Cast

The ensemble cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti, who makes her film debut.

Release

The film was released in 2025 and later listed by Rotten Tomatoes with a theatrical release date of September 26, 2025.

Genre and tone

Sources describe the film as an action-comedy-thriller or dark comedy-thriller, with some reviews also characterising it as political satire or drama.

Key facts

  • The film is based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland.
  • Paul Thomas Anderson wrote and directed the film.
  • Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a washed-up former revolutionary.
  • The story follows his return to conflict after an enemy resurfaces and his daughter disappears.
  • The cast includes Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.
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Canadian context

Canadian readers may recognize Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio as major international film figures; the movie also reflects themes of political unrest and activism that have broad cultural relevance in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

What is One Battle After Another about?
It follows a washed-up former revolutionary who is drawn back into conflict when his enemy resurfaces and his daughter goes missing.
Who directed One Battle After Another?
Paul Thomas Anderson directed the film.
Who is in the cast of One Battle After Another?
The ensemble cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.
When is One Battle After Another coming out?
The film was released in 2025; Rotten Tomatoes lists its theatrical release date as September 26, 2025.
Is One Battle After Another a true story?
No. It is a fictional film inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland and influenced by real-world political movements.
What genre is One Battle After Another?
It is described as an action-comedy-thriller, and also as a dark comedy-thriller in some sources.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Battle_After_Another
    Supports: Basic film identification, year, director, cast, source novel, and plot premise.
  2. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/One-Battle-After-Another
    Supports: Director, source novel, plot adaptation details, setting differences, and genre/tone descriptions.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30144839/plotsummary/
    Supports: Plot summary about ex-revolutionaries reuniting after an enemy resurfaces.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_battle_after_another
    Supports: Release date, genre labels, rating, and synopsis.