Leonardo DiCaprio leads a star-studded cast in One Battle After Another, the Warner Bros. movie that won Best Picture at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards, triumphing over nominees like Bugonia, Frankenstein and Hamnet. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson — who also took home Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay — the film updates Vineland by Thomas Pynchon with a startling vision of America in turmoil, following Leonardo’s washed-up revolutionary as he races to rescue his daughter from an authoritarian regime. Paul called the win “fantastic news” and a tribute to his cast and collaborators
Below, Hollywood Life has all the details you need to know about One Battle After Another.
What Is One Battle After Another About?
The premise for the film reads, “Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.”
The movie follows members of the far-left revolutionary group French 75, who fight back against a fascist future America, where an authoritarian police force targets immigrants and dissenters. Despite the bleak dystopian backdrop, One Battle After Another slips in enough wit to draw laughs from its audience.
One Battle After Another Cast
In addition to Leonardo, who plays the role of Bob Ferguson / “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun, the rest of the One Battle After Another cast features Sean Penn as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, Chase Infiniti as Willa Ferguson / Charlene Calhoun, Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills, Benicio del Toro as Sergio St. Carlos, Regina Hall as Deandra, Jena Malone as the voice greeting, Tony Goldwyn as Virgil Throckmorton, Alana Haim as Mae West and more.
When Does One Battle After Another Come Out?
The film is already out! As of September 26, 2025, One Battle After Another is available to watch in U.S. theaters.
When Will One Battle After Another Be Available to Stream?
It’s too early for a streaming date, but most Warner Bros. films get released to HBO Max. Depending on the box office numbers and overall success of the movie, One Battle After Another should be available to stream sometime in early or mid-2026.
Previously, there was a 45-day window before a Warner Bros, film would be available to stream, but that is no longer the case.
