Paul Thomas Anderson has been developing his next project for quite some time, with plenty of rumours swirling regarding an all-star cast said to consist of Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall and more.
As the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing, nothing can officially be announced when it comes to the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, but scooper Daniel Richtman claimed on Patreon that Leonardo DiCaprio is indeed still attached to the movie. It’s said to revolve around a young girl of mixed ethnicity who is physically athletic and excels at martial arts. DiCaprio will reportedly play her mentor.
Plot details have been kept under wraps, but it’s been long-rumoured that the project will be an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland. Richtman’s plot description does seem to confirm that will be the case. He states that Regina Hall is attached to play DL Chastain, a character from the novel who is a martial arts expert and ninja. “She is the daughter of a military family that moves around the world,” reads the description. “While in Japan, she is approached by a martial arts instructor who teaches her the secret ways of the ninja, including how to kill with a touch that takes a year to work. She is recruited by mobster Ralph Wayvone to assassinate Brock Vond while posing as a prostitute, but accidentally gives the death touch to Takeshi Fumimota, who has been sent in Vond’s place after the plot was discovered.“
During a recent virtual talk with Paul Thomas Anderson (via World of Reel), the director stated that he hopes to shoot the film in late January, with production expected to take place in California, Mexico, and Texas. The setting is said to be contemporary, which could indicate a change from the original novel which takes place in 1984. Anderson has previously tackled the world of Thomas Pynchon before with Inherent Vice in 2014.
It’s expected that the SAG strike will soon be resolved, so we should be hearing something more official regarding whether or not Leonardo DiCaprio will be joining Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie.