Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film was originally called “The Battle of Baktan Cross.” It looks like either that was a placeholder, or they’ve decided to rename it.
A few weeks ago, legendary AD Adam Somner passed away. He was an unsung hero in some of the most iconic movie sets, known for working with Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Ridley Scott, and PTA.
Director Mark Romanek (“One Hour Photo”), who attended Somner’s funeral, has posted the ceremony’s program, which cited the title of every film Somner’s worked on in his illustrious career, including his final one, directed by PTA, now going by the name of “One Battle After Another.” So, I guess, no more ‘Baktan Cross.’
Throughout the shoot of PTA’s film, we’d seen the town of Baktan Cross featured throughout leaked photos and videos, seen on building signage and police cars. As far as the etymology of the word “Baktan,” it relates to the cycles of the Mayan calendar. Earlier in the year, the film was shooting under the working title “BC Project.”
In the past, "Phantom Thread” was a working title which PTA decided to keep, whereas “Soggy Bottom” was a working title that got replaced by “Licorice Pizza”. So, it’s not surprising to see “Baktan Cross” having been used as a placeholder.
Warner Bros. greenlit PTA’s latest for a budget that was originally reported to be in the $100-$125M range. Some, including Jeff Sneider, believe it to be along the lines of $175M. The film is said to be PTA’s most “mainstream” to date, with rumors pointing towards a loosely inspired riff on Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland.” What we’ve noticed so far, from on-set leaks, is that the film is heavy on action, with lots of car chase scenes.
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in PTA’s latest alongside Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti, and Sean Penn, plus Benicio del Toro, Wood Harris, Teyana Taylor, and Alana Haim. The film is, for the time being, scheduled to hit theaters on August 8, 2025.
