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Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the finest directors in the industry and proved his worth with only a few films over the last two and a half decades. Anderson’s psychological dramas have starred the likes of Tom Cruise, Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. In his new project, he has collaborated with Leonardo DiCaprio.
However, there’s one actor whom the director wished to work with. Even after two decades of expressing his interest in working with the great Robert De Niro, Anderson has yet to find a project for the 81-year-old actor. De Niro is actively doing roles in films and television, with his next projects beingAlto Knightsand Netflix’sZero Day.
Paul Thomas Anderson Considers Robert De Niro as The Most Talented Actor
Paul Thomas Andersonhas worked with some of the most reputed names in the industry, creating films that are almost always featured in the awards season. However, he hasn’t had a chance to work with one legend, whom he considers one of the most talented actors in the industry. Anderson wishes to work withRobert De Niroin a film.
Anderson expressed his interest in working with theTaxi Driveractor as far back as in 2003. Speaking to The Guardian, Anderson shared that he’d really love to work with De Niro. Despite working with several actors of caliber including Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix, andTom Cruise, Anderson called De Niro the most talented actor.
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During the interview, Anderson also mentioned some of the bad choices in films that the actor made at the beginning of the 21st century. Despite the bad films, Anderson shared that the actor’s interest in working in more films was appreciable. ThePunch-Drunk Lovedirector shared withThe Guardian:
He’s still the most talented actor out there. Maybe he makes some bad choices, which can be frustrating. On the one hand, you want to say, ‘What the f**k’s going on?’ On the other, you can’t get mad at him for wanting to work, because most actors would be murderers if they weren’t working.
Anderson was hinting at De Niro’s movies likeThe Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,Showtime, andGodsend, which earned the actor a bad rap at the time. Anderson is currently working onThe Battle of Baktan Crossproduced by Warner Bros. and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Paul Thomas Anderson Is Working On One of His Most Commercial Movies
Paul Thomas Anderson is known for his low-budget dramas like his 2021 filmLicorice Pizza. However, Warner Bros. brought the director on board for a big-budget film starringLeonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Regina Hall. According toVariety, the film titledThe Battle of Baktan Crossis set at a production budget of $115 million.
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Variety also reported that DiCaprio was locked for the role for a paycheck of $20 million. Anderson worked with Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy at MGM forLicorice Pizza. De Luca and Abdy had since moved to WB Picture Group as co-chairs andused their earlier connection to bring the directorinto this project.
Anderson entering into a WB deal could also mean that he could work again with Tom Cruise afterMagnolia. Cruise has alreadysigned a strategic partnership dealwith WB and will set up an office for his production house in Burbank, California.
The Battle of Baktan Crosswill be released on August 05, 2025.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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Leonardo DiCaprioPaul Thomas AndersonRobert De NiroTom Cruise
