Paul Thomas Anderson has been taking a small vacation after directing Phantom Thread. But now it appears that he is getting ready to get back to work. New reports confirm that his next feature will be a film set in 1970s San Fernando Valley, and will center on a high school student who is also a Hollywood actor. More on the report below.

The Hollywood Reporter says Anderson will write, direct, and produce the untitled film through his Ghoulardi Film Company banner. Sources tell the trade that casting is currently underway for a variety of roles. Additionally, they’ve been told that the film could be an ensemble or feature intersecting storylines, as we’ve seen from the director in the past.

Anderson grew up in San Fernando Valley, the northern stretch of Los Angeles, California, that encompasses communities such as Sherman Oaks, Encino, and Tarzana. So no doubt that the film will be inspired by the filmmaker’s own personal experiences. The setting is also something that he is familiar with as three of his features – Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love, are all set in the San Fernando Valley. THR also notes that Anderson is making a return to film in California after shooting Phantom Thread outside of the U.S. – which was a first for him.

I’m very interested to see more about the film, especially in the casting department. I’ll admit to not being an overall huge fan of his. I found films like There Will Be Blood and The Master absolutely great pieces of work in character study. However, I could not connect with others like Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread, or Inherent Vice.

Production is scheduled to begin in February 2020. No release date has been revealed. Of course, we will keep you up to date on the progress of the film as soon as new developments come in.

[Source: THR]