Bradley Cooper Joins Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1970s SoCal Drama

Attracting Oscar-caliber actors to his films has never been a hurdle for Paul Thomas Anderson, and that will continue into his next one. THR reports eight-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper will star in Anderson’s SoCal drama about a child actor.

Anderson returns to the SoCal setting where many of his greatest films took place, including Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Set in the 1970s, it follows multiple storylines focused on a child actor attending high school in the San Fernando Valley.

Cooper’s role is unclear at this point, but I’m hoping he’ll get to work with some old Anderson regulars. Hopefully, there’s a role for Melora Walters, too.

Production was delayed due to COVID-19 but now a fall start is planned. It all depends on how well Los Angeles does in getting its shit together.

Cooper already has a lot on his plate following his Oscar nominations for A Star is Born, and again for producing Joker last year. His next directorial effort is a biopic on composer Leonard Bernstein, followed by Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.