Paul Thomas Anderson is returning to the 1970s with a new film titled Bradley Cooper would star in the movie. After two years of anticipation, Licorice Pizza is premiering in theaters on November 26, 2021.
Licorice Pizza follows two teenagers in the 1970s, Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman), an actor (not the Dirk Diggler kind), who fall in love as they navigate Hollywood and California’s San Fernando Valley. The Licorice Pizza characters come into with big industry names like A Star Is Born producer Jon Peters (Cooper, likely not coincidentally) and other experienced actors while also enjoying the nuances of ‘70s adolescence. Known for his classic needle drops, Paul Thomas Anderson is already giving a taste of the great ‘70s music to come in Licorice Pizza as he places David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” over the trailer.
The 1970s theme isn’t foreign to highly acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie will be following the Los Angeles movie industry, the film clearly has its roots in the Southern California music scene of the time.
While it gives no clear indication to the plot of the film, Licorice Pizza’s title is a clear homage to the movie’s time and place, meaning those who grew up in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s and fell in line with the characters’ personalities likely know exactly what he’s talking about. In essence, the title will capture the style and themes of Anderson’s movie, paying homage to the youth culture of the specific time and place. Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson himself was born and raised in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, so Licorice Pizza will likely take more personal influence from his experience as an adventurous child growing up in Hollywood’s film industry, where his father was a notable television personality.
This isn’t the first time Anderson has written and directed a film about a high school actor, as he notably jumpstarted his career with a little movie called Phillip Seymore Hoffman, who played Scotty J. in Boogie Nights, in the 2021 movie’s lead role. Since Boogie Night is still considered Anderson’s most beloved film and a great love letter to Los Angeles, fans are more than excited for Licorice Pizza.
