A newly released trailer for the upcoming caper “One Battle After Another” has a little bit of everything: An unhinged Leonardo DiCaprio performance, a life-or-death rescue and explosive sequences filmed in Southern California.
The Desert Sun reported last year that the cast and crew of Academy Award nominee Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature were spotted filming in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area in May, located more than an hour south of the Palm Springs area. A local resident, who admired the filming nearby, shared that the crew was filming car chase and crash scenes in the desert, and he spotted DiCaprio sporting a “man-bun” and wielding a rifle on set.
With Warner Bros’ new trailer, fans can finally catch their first glimpse of those intense scenes in action.
Watch the One Battle After Another trailer here:
Who’s in the One Battle After Another cast?
DiCaprio and Sean Penn star in the film, which also features big names like Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Oscar winner Benicio del Toro, Wood Harris and Alana Haim.
Desert gets its spotlight in new Leonardo DiCaprio movie
Based on the novel “Vineland” by Thomas Pynchon, “One Battle After Another” features a manic Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), donning a ragged plaid bathrobe, grey beanie and dark sunglasses, on the run. Years prior, Bob was part of a vigilante group called the French 75 with his partner Perfidia (Taylor), but cop Steven Lockjaw (Penn) brought them down and arrested her. Now that the officer has returned and is determined to take down Bob’s family, the revolutionary will stop at nothing to keep his daughter (Chase Infiniti) safe.
In the midst of all the chaos and madness — including Bob shouting “Viva la revolución” at the top of his lungs and hilariously taking cover in a martial arts school — a number of recognizable desert locations can be spotted. Snippets in the trailer show the sprawling, dusty, mountainous landscape, which serves as the backdrop for speeding cars going down a long road, and a chase that ends with one vehicle veering off the side of the roadway. A few scenes with DiCaprio and del Toro’s characters also appear to be filmed near the region, including one where Bob jumps out of a moving vehicle.
Last year, photographer and Borrego Springs resident Sicco Rood shared photos and videos on his Instagram account of the action on set. In one video, DiCaprio was seen getting out of a car, heading to the side of the road with his weapon and overlooking a smoky embankment. Rood wrote in his Instagram post that the scene was filmed on May 24, 2024, at the bottom of the Montezuma Grade near the Hellhole parking area in the state park.
Penn’s character had some fake blood on his face, Rood noted as well, and he was mostly in the embankment where a car crashed.
Other social media videos the local captured showed the crew filming driving sequences and setting off the smoke in the embankment. Rood also spotted a number of crushed vehicles on a road.
Filming also took place in the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area from May 11 to 14, 2024, according to a film permit. Specific filming locations included the Ocotillo Wells viewpoint, Tectonic Gorge Trail and the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area campgrounds. The cast/crew included 120 people, and 24 production vehicles and two picture cars were involved.
One Battle After Another filming locations in California
The desert isn’t the only place where Anderson and his crew were spotted filming. In fact, locations all over California can be found in the trailer.
SFGate reported that helicopters fly over redwoods trees in Humboldt County, a car chase takes place across Sacramento’s Tower Bridge and a police ceremony is held inside the Sacramento County Superior Court House. The outlet also noted scenes were shot in Eureka and Arcata.
The movie sparked controversy when a homeless encampment in the state capital was allegedly moved in order to film in a park, according to ABC 10.
One Battle After Another release date
“One Battle After Another” will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on Sept. 26. The film is Anderson’s 10th feature, which he also wrote and produced.
This marks the first time that Anderson and DiCaprio are collaborating on a film together, while the director is reuniting with his “Licorice Pizza” actors Haim and Penn.
(This story was updated to add a link.)
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New Leonardo DiCaprio movie, ‘One Battle After Another,’ trailer shows Borrego Springs
Reporting by Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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