Leonardo DiCaprio stars in Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie 'One Battle After Another'

LOS ANGELES -- He made "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia" and "There Will Be Blood."

Now, there is early awards show buzz happening again for director Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "One Battle After Another."

Leonardo DiCaprio heads the cast of what you might call a sometimes wild ride at the movies. He plays an ex-revolutionary and current stoner who is suddenly trying to get the gang back together again to rescue his daughter from a corrupt military official played by Sean Penn.

"He sets up a guy that's sitting on his couch getting stoned, that can't remember the password to contact his revolutionary friends from the past because he's too stoned and his daughter's life is at stake. And that becomes a huge premise of the movie," said DiCaprio.

Anderson wrote the film based on the 1990 novel, "Vineland."

Benicio Del Toro plays a karate instructor who is key to the story in another way. Some of his lines are in Spanish, but Del Toro doesn't think you need to know the language to know what he's conveying.

"I asked Paul, like, 'Are you going to put subtitles here?' He goes, 'I get it.' I go, 'OK, cool.' So I think people get it emotionally," Del Toro said.

"One Battle After Another" deals with some serious subject matter in an R-rated way. There's also plenty of action and comedy.

"To have him do a movie like this that is so incredibly topical to the world we live in, but has a satire to it, you can laugh with these characters," DiCaprio said talking about his director. "They're flawed heroes. He created a world that is just so exciting to enter into, and I think people are going to have a fantastic time."

ABC7's George Pennacchio compared the film to visiting a familiar amusement park but getting on a ride you've never been on.

"That's pretty good," Del Toro said about the comparison, with DiCaprio agreeing.

"One Battle After Another" is in theaters now.

WATCH: Leonardo DiCaprio shares screen with 3 powerful women in 'One Battle After Another'

Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Paul Thomas Anderson's newest film, the box office hit "One Battle After Another."