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The Battle of Baktan Cross

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The Battle of Baktan Cross
Directed byPaul Thomas Anderson
Written byPaul Thomas Anderson
Produced by
Starring
Music byJonny Greenwood
Production
company
Ghoulardi Film Company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • August 8, 2025 (2025-08-08)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$115–140 million[1][2]

The Battle of Baktan Cross is an upcoming American crime drama thriller film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, and Benicio del Toro.[3]

The film is scheduled to be released on August 8, 2025, by Warner Bros. Pictures.[4]

Cast

Production

Writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson

In June 2023, Paul Thomas Anderson's film, rumored to star Regina Hall, Viggo Mortensen and Joaquin Phoenix, found its home at Warner Bros. Pictures.[5] In January 2024, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Hall were confirmed to star.[6] In February 2024, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Shayna McHayle, and Chase Infiniti joined the cast.[7] DiCaprio earned $20 million for his involvement.[1] Principal photography began in California on January 22, 2024.[8][9][10] The film, under the working title BC Project, filmed for eleven days across Humboldt County in Arcata, Cutten, Eureka, and Trinidad.[11] On February 3, production moved to Sacramento, with filming at the Sacramento County Administration Building and Sacramento County Courthouse.[12] Some controversy was garnered when a homeless encampment was cleared to allow for filming.[13] On-location filming also took place in El Paso, Texas, in June 2024.[14] The film was shot on 35 mm film using VistaVision cameras.[15]

In February 2024, Variety listed the production budget as $115 million.[1] In August 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported the budget to be "more than $140 million", noting that Anderson's highest-grossing film, There Will Be Blood (2007), only made $76 million, but that "Warner executives say DiCaprio's box-office track record justifies the budget for Anderson".[2] That month, sources indicated the film had been titled The Battle of Baktan Cross as rumors circulated that it was loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland (1990), Anderson having previously adapted Pynchon's Inherent Vice (2009) into a film.[16][17]

The film marks the sixth feature film collaboration between Anderson and composer Jonny Greenwood,[18] and the fifth between Anderson and first assistant director Adam Somner, who died in November 2024.[19]

Release

The film will be released on August 8, 2025, and will be the first of Anderson's films to be released in IMAX.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Siegel, Tatiana (February 21, 2024). "Warner Bros. Spends Big: 'Joker 2' Budget Hits $200 Million, Lady Gaga's $12 Million Payday, Courting Tom Cruise's New Deal, and More". Variety. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Flint, Joe (August 10, 2024). "At Warner Discovery It's Lean Times, Except for the Movie Studio Bosses". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on August 10, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  3. ^ Melissa, Billie (February 6, 2024). "Cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's New Film Spotted in Sacramento". Men's Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  4. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 12, 2024). "'The Batman 2' from Matt Reeves Heads to Fall 2026; Paul Thomas Anderson-Leonardo DiCaprio Movie Gets Summer 2025 Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Kohn, Eric (June 24, 2023). "Turner Classic Movies Needs a New Home, Not Just New Leadership". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  6. ^ Kroll, Justin; Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 10, 2024). "Paul Thomas Anderson & Warner Bros Set Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall in Film to Shoot This Year". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Galuppo, Mia (February 2, 2024). "Teyana Taylor, Alana Haim to Star in Paul Thomas Anderson's Latest Movie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Goff, Andrew (January 29, 2024). "(WATCH) First Look at Leonardo DiCaprio in Character for New Paul Thomas Anderson Film Currently Filming in Humboldt". Lost Coast Outpost. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Schreur, Brandon (January 30, 2024). "Leonardo DiCaprio Set Photos Reveal First Look at Paul Thomas Anderson's New Movie". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Ruimy, Joran (July 16, 2024). "PTA's Next Film to Continue Shooting Until January 2025!". World of Reel. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Multiple sources:
  12. ^ Lange, Ariane (February 4, 2024). "Movie crew, director Paul Thomas Anderson film in Sacramento — but no sign of DiCaprio". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Trubey, Devin (February 10, 2024). "Tents cleared from park ahead of movie filming, Sacramento Homeless Union says". ABC 10. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Paloma, Natassia (June 21, 2024). "Mysterious Warner Bros. film crew in El Paso: What are they shooting?". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Raup, Jordan (March 13, 2024). "Paul Thomas Anderson's Next Film Sets August 2025 Release, Including IMAX Theaters". The Film Stage. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Rindner, Grant (March 22, 2024). "Is Paul Thomas Anderson's Mysterious, Big-Budget New Leonardo DiCaprio Film an IMAX Thomas Pynchon Movie?". GQ. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Ruimy, Jordan (August 2, 2024). "Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Battle of Baktan Cross' ..." World of Reel. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  18. ^ Lewis, John (May 10, 2024). "Jonny Greenwood: 'I'm still arsing around on instruments like when I was a kid'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  19. ^ Tapp, Tom; Petski, Denise (November 29, 2024). "Adam Somner Dies: Oscar-Nominated Producer, Longtime First AD For Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson & Ridley Scott Was 57". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 15, 2024.