Focus Features to Partner with Paul Thomas Anderson on His Next Film

Focus Features is set to partner with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson on his untitled new film. Anderson and Focus Features collaborated on his last feature Phantom Thread, which garnered 6 Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture, Director for Anderson, Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Supporting Actress for Lesley Manville, Score for Jonny Greenwood and Costume Design for Mark Bridges, which he went on to win. Longtime collaborators JoAnne Sellar and Daniel Lupi will produce this new project along with Anderson.

"There is simply no other filmmaker like Paul Thomas Anderson. He is a true original who consistently mesmerizes fans with unparalleled vision and storytelling. We are beyond thrilled to be teaming up once again with Paul, JoAnne and Daniel," said Focus chairman Peter Kujawski.

Production is scheduled for Spring/Summer 2020 in California. Further details are still forthcoming. Focus Features will distribute domestically, and Universal Pictures International will handle foreign distribution.

Focus Features acquires and produces specialty films for the global market and holds a library of iconic movies, with 127 Academy Award Nominations and 25 wins from fearless filmmakers. Upcoming and current releases from Focus include Harriet, about the legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman starring Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr. and directed by Kasi Lemmons; Working Title and Blueprint Picture's new adaptation of Emma starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn; the Kevin Costner and Diane Lane led Let Him Go; Jon Stewart's Irresistible starring Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, and Chris Cooper; Todd Haynes' Dark Waters with Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway from Participant; Edgar Wright's psychological thriller Last Night in Soho from Working Title; the female-led Never Rarely Sometimes Always, from acclaimed writer/director Eliza Hittman, Promising Young Woman produced by LuckyChap Entertainment; the music industry set Covers starring Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross; heartfelt comedy Half Brothers from director Luke Greenfield; Robin Wright's feature directorial debut Land starring Wright and co-star Demián Bichir; acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Neville's upcoming documentary on Anthony Bourdain; Dawn Porter's untitled documentary on former Chief White House photographer Pete Souza; and the Downton Abbey movie starring the entire original cast. Universal Pictures International has led distribution in select markets for titles including Harriet; Downton Abbey; Emma; Let Him Go; Irresistible; Last Night in Soho; Covers; Half Brothers; Land; Untitled Anthony Bourdain documentary; and Untitled White House Photographer Pete Souza documentary.

Focus is part of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), which produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and other distribution platforms. UFEG's global division also includes Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and DreamWorks Animation. UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.