Spielberg Praises One Battle After Another at Premiere

Spielberg Hails One Battle After Another at Hollywood Debut

Paul Thomas Anderson’s new feature One Battle After Another had its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on September 8, 2025, drawing an all-star crowd and early critical acclaim. The $140 million Warner Bros.release stars Leonardo DiCaprio in a lead role, supported by Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and newcomer Chase Infiniti.

The evening was highlighted by Steven Spielberg, who moderated a Q&A with Anderson at the Directors Guild of America theater earlier this week. Praising the project, Spielberg called it “an insane movie” with more action in its opening hour than any of Anderson’s previous films combined. He compared the film’s tone to Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, describing it as both absurdist and deeply reflective of today’s social and political climate.

Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, the film follows DiCaprio as a former revolutionary forced to protect his teenage daughter from a resurfaced enemy. Critics at the premiere called the film both thrilling and emotionally powerful. Evan Romano of Men’s Health named it his top film of the year, while Brett Arnold described it as Anderson’s funniest work yet, praising Sean Penn’s performance as “Oscar-worthy.”

Chris Evangelista of Slash Film labeled the movie “the modern American nightmare in VistaVision,” while Grace Randolph noted that her initial skepticism turned into appreciation as the story unfolded. New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan even predicted that the release could finally earn Anderson his first Academy Award for Best Director.

The Hollywood red carpet was packed with cast members and notable guests, including Anthony Kiedis, Dove Cameron, Scott Cooper, and Warner Bros. executives David Zaslav, Pamela Abdy, and Michael De Luca.

One Battle After Another opens nationwide on September 26, 2025, with industry insiders already calling it one of the strongest Oscar contenders of the year.

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