Paul Thomas Anderson’s Next Film to Star Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Regina Hall

Paul Thomas Anderson is getting ready to launch the untitled follow-up to his Oscar-nominated “Licorice Pizza,” and he’s lining up an All-Star cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Regina Hall, an individual with knowledge told The Wrap on Wednesday.

Anderson also wrote the script. Sara Murphy and Adam Somner are producing the project, which is set up at Warner Bros.

True to most PTA projects, the logline is being kept under wraps, but it is set in present day. Earlier reports suggested that Anderson could be adapting another Thoma Pynchon novel, “Vineland,” with a prominent role for Denzel Washington. But that novel is set primarily in 1984, with flashbacks to the 1960s. This new movie is said to have another large cast, so Washington could still be a part of it.

Anderson has had a long relationship with Warner Bros. Picture group co-chair/co-CEO Michael De Luca – it was De Luca who shepherded Anderson’s breakthrough feature “Boogie Nights” at New Line Cinema, along with his sprawling, star-studded follow-up “Magnolia.” And Anderson worked with De Luca and Warner Bros. Picture group co-chair/co-CEO on “Licorice Pizza,” which ultimately earned Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director Academy Award nominations.

Famously, DiCaprio was meant to play Jon Peters, the hairstylist-turned-director (and Barbara Streisand’s boyfriend), in “Licorice Pizza,” a scene-stealing role that went instead to Bradley Cooper. DiCaprio’s father, George, does still have a small role in “Licorice Pizza” as a waterbed salesman. Penn did have a role in “Licorice Pizza” as an actor based on William Holden.

Deadline first reported the news.

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