Well, I don’t really know what else to say about this. First of all, it’s been a great day for trailers– Sam Mendes’ Skyfall teaser hit, and you cansee itjust abouteverywhere, and the Anchorman 2teaserthat played before The Dictator (meaning nobody saw it) landed on the web as well. But neither of these is anywhere near as exciting or arresting as the arrival of this little slice of footage from the immensely talented Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, The Master.
My initial reaction is “holy moly”. Frankly, I think this is how teasers really should be done; the lasting sensation I’m left with from watching this is a deep-rooted need to see the entire film as soon as possible so as to contextualize every single second displayed here in fullness. Saying “ticket sold” feels like a waste of word space, because that just goes without saying. It’s been too long since There Will Be Blood, and it’s about time we got our latest dose of Anderson’s cinematic alchemy.
And I can’t help but go back to announcementsback in 2010 that The Master would act as a riff on scientology. The teaser doesn’t really get into that in any palatable sense– we don’t even see Hoffman, the man playing the L. Ron Hubbard figure– but I think that’s okay. It’s teasing. That’s what it’s meant to do. And it’s clearly working because I can neither stop watching the trailer nor thinking about it. All I know for now is that I’ll be there in October for release. How about you?
10 thoughts on “There Will Be Phoenix: Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” Teaser”
OMG that looks so damn amazing. PTA is one of my idols (Boogie Nights is one of my favorite films ever) and this is definitely near the top of the list of most anticipated. And the music by Jonny Greenwood sounds amazing. WANT NOW!
I love the strong PTA vibe. You know from watching the clip that it’s a PTA movie. Joaquin Phoenix is back and in top form it looks like. And the movie is about the early days of Scientology so it will be interesting to see what will come out of it.
Absolutely– there’s no mistaking who’s behind this film from the first few seconds. I think this is going to be great for Phoenix, but I’m very interested to see how the Scientology allegory plays out; will it be really literal or much quieter?
Talk about a terrific teaser. Within a few minutes, one can easily see The Master as another notch in PTA’s legendary belt. I can’t wait for October. I want it now!
So long as PTA continues to make a film every 3-4 years without breaks, I’ll be satisfied. Sure, I could stand for that window to be more in the 2-year range, but I’ve no complaints yet. Could me among the rest of you that is eager as hell to catch it as soon as possible.
Definitely. Give the man the time he needs to make great films. Would I prefer them closer together? Sure. But I’d prefer they all be top-quality even more.
{"id":"2","mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/agcrump.work\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/agcrump.work\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"https:\/\/agcrump.work\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/image-asset-179x200.webp","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":false,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"A Constant Visual Feast","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"Support My Work:","form_subtitle":"","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thanks for supporting my work!","payment_confirmation_title":"A Constant Visual Feast","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much do you want to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much do you want to tip?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much do you want to tip?"},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much do you want to tip?"}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Want to make a recurring tip?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Want to make a recurring tip?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Want to make a recurring tip?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
OMG that looks so damn amazing. PTA is one of my idols (Boogie Nights is one of my favorite films ever) and this is definitely near the top of the list of most anticipated. And the music by Jonny Greenwood sounds amazing. WANT NOW!
Same here. I don’t have any patience for the fall– I want to see this straight away!
I love the strong PTA vibe. You know from watching the clip that it’s a PTA movie. Joaquin Phoenix is back and in top form it looks like. And the movie is about the early days of Scientology so it will be interesting to see what will come out of it.
Absolutely– there’s no mistaking who’s behind this film from the first few seconds. I think this is going to be great for Phoenix, but I’m very interested to see how the Scientology allegory plays out; will it be really literal or much quieter?
Talk about a terrific teaser. Within a few minutes, one can easily see The Master as another notch in PTA’s legendary belt. I can’t wait for October. I want it now!
Preaching to the choir, Monty. I think this one’s going to be an immediate hit for most of us.
The lengthy wait for Phoenix’s next performance is feeling all the more worthwhile now. The hairs stand on my neck when he speaks in this teaser.
Yeah, I love the way he’s speaking here. Very disquieting in terms of how off-kilter it is.
So long as PTA continues to make a film every 3-4 years without breaks, I’ll be satisfied. Sure, I could stand for that window to be more in the 2-year range, but I’ve no complaints yet. Could me among the rest of you that is eager as hell to catch it as soon as possible.
Definitely. Give the man the time he needs to make great films. Would I prefer them closer together? Sure. But I’d prefer they all be top-quality even more.