On Friday, the collective anticipation of film and literature enthusiasts reached a fever pitch as news leaked from a Phoenix screening about Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest project. Officially titled One Battle After Another, this long-rumored adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland sent fans of the reclusive author into a celebratory frenzy. For those who have dabbled in Pynchon’s challenging works, the prospect of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Zoyd Wheeler leaping through a glass window in a psychedelic muumuu feels like cinematic nirvana. For others, it might be time to decide whether to read the book before or after the movie. Spoiler: You’ll probably want to read it first.
Why You Might Want to Tackle Vineland Now
The decision to read a book before watching its adaptation often depends on how much you care about preconceived notions. Usually, it’s easier to forgive a mediocre movie and still enjoy the book, but when it comes to Pynchon’s dense and sprawling prose, history suggests otherwise. Anderson’s last Pynchon adaptation, Inherent Vice (2014), required homework. The film’s labyrinthine narrative of stoned detective Doc Sportello navigating Nixon-era paranoia was less an adaptation and more a visual companion piece. Anderson preserved much of Pynchon’s dialogue and narration verbatim, creating a symbiotic relationship between book and film where each medium enriched the other.
If Inherent Vice was any indication, Vineland is likely to demand a similar commitment. Pynchon’s 1990 novel, set in Ronald Reagan’s dystopian America, follows Zoyd Wheeler, a hippie dad evading the authorities with his teenage daughter, Prairie. The story delves into his estranged ex-wife, Frenesi, a countercultural figure-turned-government informant, and the sinister federal prosecutor Brock Vond, who relentlessly pursues her. The narrative is a tangle of FBI conspiracies, countercultural movements, and Pynchon’s signature surreal flourishes—including TV-addicted cults and prophetic tech anxiety. It’s a lot, and in true Pynchon fashion, it’s deliberately overwhelming.
Adapting the Unadaptable
Pynchon’s novels are notoriously difficult to translate to screen. His postmodern style brims with dense layers of meaning, absurdist humor, and sprawling narratives that defy conventional storytelling. For Inherent Vice, Anderson didn’t try to make sense of the chaos but instead leaned into it. By embracing the absurdity and focusing on character-driven moments—such as Doc’s rain-soaked drug deal via Ouija board—he created an unconventional adaptation that felt emotionally resonant, even as it left many viewers scratching their heads.
Vineland, however, poses unique challenges. While Inherent Vice had a noir framework to guide its meandering plot, Vineland is more episodic and less propulsive. It’s a novel Salman Rushdie once called “light and funny,” yet it’s packed with Pynchon’s signature sprawling networks of conspiracies and tangential characters. The story’s lack of a traditional narrative engine could make it harder to adapt in a straightforward way—but Anderson isn’t known for playing it safe.
What We Know About the Film
Early reports suggest Anderson is taking liberties with the source material. While Inherent Vice remained largely faithful to its novel, One Battle After Another appears to reimagine Vineland for modern audiences. Key changes include updated character names—Zoyd Wheeler is now “Ghetto Pat,” and Brock Vond has become “Steven J. Lockjaw”—and a setting brought into the present day. Sources describe the film’s tone as a mix of Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild and Alex Cox’s Repo Man, with elements of action, rebellion, and apocalyptic chaos.
Leonardo DiCaprio reportedly stars alongside Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti, with Sean Penn as the antagonistic Lockjaw. The story may center on a high-octane chase as DiCaprio and Hall’s characters evade Penn’s fascist stormtroopers. These details hint at a more action-driven approach, giving Anderson the chance to experiment with large-scale set pieces and genre tropes he’s rarely tackled.
A Political Novel for the Present
Vineland was Pynchon’s response to the Reagan era, exploring themes of surveillance, cultural decline, and the commodification of rebellion. Anderson’s decision to modernize the story opens the door for timely commentary on America’s current political climate. As Rushdie described, Vineland is “a major political novel about what America has been doing to itself, to its children, all these many years.” Anderson’s adaptation could draw parallels between Reagan and today’s political figures, amplifying the novel’s critique of systemic power and cultural decay.
Closing Credits
Whether or not Anderson’s adaptation hews closely to Pynchon’s vision, one thing is clear: One Battle After Another is shaping up to be an unmissable event for cinephiles and literary nerds alike. For those eager to dive into the world of Vineland, consider this your invitation to pick up a copy now. Reading it beforehand might not just deepen your appreciation for the film—it could make the difference between bewilderment and revelation. And if the film does deviate significantly, well, you’ll still have experienced one of Pynchon’s most accessible and rewarding works.
