Paul Thomas Anderson

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q25132: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as director, the making department they hold the most credits in. The films the hosts said they directed, which the two lists below run through too: Hard Eight (1996); Boogie Nights (1997); Magnolia (1999); Punch-Drunk Love (2002); A Prairie Home Companion (2006); There Will Be Blood (2007); The Master (2012); Phantom Thread (2017); Licorice Pizza (2021); One Battle After Another (2025); (various); Hard Eight (Sydney); Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson film. Count them as writer (1 film), craft (1 film) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Robert Altman: 2 lines

lineage (lineage) · them, directly: Robert Altman ⇒ Paul Thomas Anderson (the host's read). Bill says Altman's legacy is the filmmakers he influenced, and Boogie Nights is PTA trying to do The Player and Altman.
“He's just basically trying to do the player, right?”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:10 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage) · through Hard Eight (Sydney), which they directed: Robert Altman ⇒ Hard Eight (Sydney) (the host's read). If you talk about its influences you have to talk about Altman too.
“you got to talk about Altman, I think too”
The Big Picture · Top Five Gen X Director Debuts, the Fate of ‘Black Widow,’ and a Potential Oscars Disaster · 0:58:47 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

David Mamet: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Hard Eight (Sydney), which they directed: David Mamet ⇒ Hard Eight (Sydney) (the maker said so: PTA talking about it). PTA talks about Mamet's influence, but Brian says he threw it off more easily than Brian and his partner do.
“although PTA talks about Mammoth's influence”
The Big Picture · Top Five Gen X Director Debuts, the Fate of ‘Black Widow,’ and a Potential Oscars Disaster · 0:54:07 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999): 1 line

unmapped (lesson learned) · through Phantom Thread (2017), which they directed: Eyes Wide Shut ⇒ Phantom Thread (the host's read). The speaker feels PTA took lessons from visiting the Kubrick set about small crews.
“Like, it feels like PTA sort of learned some lessons from being on the set that took years to see Ben.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free) · 1:06:03 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Mean Streets (1973): 1 line

lineage (influence) · through Boogie Nights (1997), which they directed: Mean Streets ⇒ Boogie Nights (the maker said so: the Boogie Nights commentary track). Per the commentary track, Anderson lifted images from Mean Streets, Goodfellas and other Scorsese films for Boogie Nights.
“Paul Thomas Anderson explained how he just ripped off images he saw in Mean Streets or in Goodfellas”
The Big Picture · The ‘Babylon’ Watch-Along · 0:24:42 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Michael De Luca: 1 line

unmapped (gave break) · through Boogie Nights (1997), which they directed: Michael De Luca ⇒ Boogie Nights (the host's read). De Luca ran New Line and gave PTA his break with Boogie Nights; now runs Warner's films division.
“gave PTA his big break with Boogie Nights.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:09:09 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

Popeye (1980): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Punch-Drunk Love (2002), which they directed: Popeye ⇒ Punch-Drunk Love (the host's read). Wesley says PTA's debt to Altman runs deep, down to the Shelley Duvall Popeye song used in Punch-Drunk Love.
“the way that that Shelley Duval song from Popeye functions in punch trunk love”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:21:58 · Wesley Morris (0.85 sure it was them)

That Thing You Do!: 1 line

people (people) · through Licorice Pizza (2021), which they directed: That Thing You Do! ⇒ Licorice Pizza (the host's read). Gary Goetzman was an inspiration for Licorice Pizza and will come up on the show.
“he was an inspiration for the film Licorice Pizza”
The Big Picture · ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ ‘Tick, Tick ... Boom!,' and Our Top Five Feel-Good Movies · 0:44:45 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013): 1 line

lineage (influence / humor) · through One Battle After Another (2025), which they directed: The Wolf of Wall Street ⇒ One Battle After Another (the host's read). Scorsese influenced PTA, and the uncomfortable-laughter humor of Wolf is very PTA.
“Scorsese is a huge influence on all filmmakers, including PTA, and there is a, like, a really screwed up level to the humor in this movie that is that is very PTA as well”
The Big Picture · The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 11 - 'The Wolf of Wall Street’ · 0:16:54 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Thomas Pynchon: 1 line

lineage (rumored adaptation) · them, directly: Thomas Pynchon ⇒ Paul Thomas Anderson (the host's read). PTA's next film was long rumored to adapt Pynchon's Vineland, set in the 1980s, but this one is contemporary.
“it has been long rumored that his next, his next film is going to be an adaptation of Thomas Pinchin's Vineland.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:09:52 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

No line says anything drew on them or a film of theirs.

What the speakers said they did

Other (1) everyone in other

director (suggested for Downey), Inherent Vice (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Judging The Judge)

What was said about them, by kind

career (3)

career (career turn): Mark Wahlberg → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA found Wahlberg's angry chip-on-the-shoulder star quality in Boogie Nights, which later directors reused.
“I think PTA latched onto something sooner than everyone else that Marky Mark himself didn't figure out for a while”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Planet of the Apes with Matt Singer · 0:37:32 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career comp): Zach Cregger → Paul Thomas Anderson. Early-career PTA was a comp for Cregger, but Resident Evil would be his Punch-Drunk Love (a simpler follow-up after the bigger film).
“I had been thinking about his career in terms of PTA's early career.”
The Big Picture · ‘Resident Evil’ Absolutely Rips! · 1:11:14 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
career (career milestone): Paul Thomas Anderson → Punch-Drunk Love. His next film is the first contemporary-set film since Punch-Drunk Love.
“This is the 1st time he's made a movie set in modern time since Punch Drunklove”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:08:53 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

contrast (contrast): Michael Mann → Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson reinvents his visual language each film; Mann makes one movie in variations.
“With Michael Mann, I feel like it's all one movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Thief’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:05:27 · Chris Ryan (0.55 sure it was them)

industry (1)

industry (industry): Wes Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. Compared as beloved filmmakers still without Oscars; PTA's year may be coming.
“We're, it's starting to feel like the Paul Thomas Anderson year is happening, right?”
The Big Picture · The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 12 - 'The Royal Tenenbaums’ · 0:38:43 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

lineage (2)

lineage (lineage): Robert Altman → Paul Thomas Anderson. Bill says Altman's legacy is the filmmakers he influenced, and Boogie Nights is PTA trying to do The Player and Altman.
“He's just basically trying to do the player, right?”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:10 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
lineage (rumored adaptation): Paul Thomas Anderson → Thomas Pynchon. PTA's next film was long rumored to adapt Pynchon's Vineland, set in the 1980s, but this one is contemporary.
“it has been long rumored that his next, his next film is going to be an adaptation of Thomas Pinchin's Vineland.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:09:52 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

people (7)

people (suggested-collaboration): Robert Downey Jr. → Paul Thomas Anderson. To get an Oscar he needs a director who will push him out of his zone, such as PTA or Sam Raimi, not Dobkin.
“But someone like Paul Thomas Anderson. You know who's not going to let him close.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:27:31 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
people (people): Ernie Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. The 70s/80s ABC promo narrator is PTA's dad, and the hosts imagine trailer narration for The Town.
“But it's that Paul Thomas Anderson's dad.”
The Rewatchables · A CR Month Mailbag! · 0:39:39 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Pulp Fiction → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA scouted Jimmy and Bonnie's Studio City house for the production.
“PTA was like, I have inside line on a place for you guys in studio, so you can shoot.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:55:02 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)
people (people): Paul Thomas Anderson → A Prairie Home Companion. PTA was on set with Altman and almost took over the last movie Altman made when he was sick.
“Paul Thomas Anderson was right there with Altman and he almost took over the last movie Altman made when Altman was sick.”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:18 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
people (people): Regina Hall → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA tapped capabilities in Regina Hall beyond comedy in One Battle After Another.
“who identified the capabilities of Regina Hall beyond being the funniest person in any room or on any Golden Globe stage”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:38:08 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
people (auteur credit): Magnolia → Paul Thomas Anderson. Magnolia works because PTA loves Cruise and plays with the idea of Tom Cruise.
“Paul Thomas I understand who like loves Tom Cruise as much as we do”
The Big Picture · The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame · 0:28:44 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Pi → Paul Thomas Anderson. Watching Pi, you knew you were seeing a major filmmaker, as with PTA.
“You knew, that's another, like, PTA.”
The Big Picture · Top Five Gen X Director Debuts, the Fate of ‘Black Widow,’ and a Potential Oscars Disaster · 1:06:20 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)

theme (1)

theme (contemporary-comparison): Wes Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. The other Anderson; similar trajectory of staying uncompromised rather than going franchise.
“The filmmaker that I would bring up is a comparison. Um, and as a contemporary is the other Anderson is Paul Thomas Anderson.”
The Rewatchables · ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ With Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald · 0:21:02 · Andy Greenwald (0.50 sure it was them)

unmapped (2)

unmapped (reaction): Paul Thomas Anderson → Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. On the DGA podcast PTA, a Leo fan, seemed quite taken with Brad Pitt in the movie.
“we know we know PTA is a big Leo fan, but he seemed quite taken with Brad Pitt in this movie.”
The Big Picture · The Future of ‘Star Wars,’ Marvel, Pixar, and Disney’s Movie Monopoly. Plus: Our Summer Movie Awards and Paul Downs Colaizzo on ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ | The Big Picture · 0:21:34 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
unmapped (set visit): Tom Cruise → Paul Thomas Anderson. Cruise snuck PTA onto the Eyes Wide Shut set while they were meeting about Magnolia.
“Cruz snuck Paul Thomas Anderson on because they were meeting about Magnolia at that point”
Blank Check — Patreon · Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free) · 1:05:01 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

verdict (2)

verdict (verdict): Paul Thomas Anderson → David Lean. PTA beat David Lean in round one, 65-35, the closest of the 18 seeds.
“Yes, but I think... 65, 35.”
Blank Check — Patreon · 2025 March Madness Update 1 · 0:24:29 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Paul Thomas Anderson → Ridley Scott. The one played-out Sweet 16 matchup is PTA over Scott, making PTA a robust challenger.
“PTAs March to, at least the final 4 does seem, well, maybe not assured, but he's so far a robust challenger.”
Blank Check — Patreon · 2025 March Madness Update 1 · 0:26:36 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (1)

what-if (what-if): Kirsten Dunst → Paul Thomas Anderson. They propose Dunst would be great with PTA.
“she would be great with PTA.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:49:59 · Sean Fennessey (0.40 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

fun, about Paul Thomas Anderson: PTA's famous attack on the film after his father died of cancer.
“I wish David Fincher testicular cancer for all his jokes about it.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 3:10:32 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Paul Thomas Anderson: PTA, then 27, was shown the tiny Kubrick crew and felt like a Hollywood asshole when Kubrick asked how big his own was.
“And PTA is like, I felt like such a Hollywood asshole immediately.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free) · 1:05:28 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)