Paul Thomas Anderson has set his next movie at Focus Features, re-teaming with the studio who produced his last film, Phantom Thread.
The film, which is currently untitled, is reportedly a 1970s-set high school film set in Anderson’s San Fernando Valley stomping ground, and will revolve around a high school student who is also a successful child actor. It’s been described as having intersecting storylines, á la Magnolia, which was also set in the San Fernando Valley. Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love were also set there.
Focus chairman Peter Kujawski was rightly extremely excited to have one of the most acclaimed contemporary directors back at his studio: “There is simply no other filmmaker like Paul Thomas Anderson. He is a true original who consistently mesmerises fans with unparalleled vision and storytelling. We are beyond thrilled to be teaming up once again”.
Phantom Thread was unsurprisingly a critical hit, and also garnered six Oscar nominations. But Anderson has not yet won an Academy Award. Perhaps this project will finally be the one to get him over that hump.
Production on the film is scheduled for Spring/Summer 2020 in California.
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