Sixteen years of peace. Sixteen years of quiet. For a group of former revolutionaries who fought to dismantle a brutal regime, the past is a ghost they’ve tried desperately to outrun. They’ve built new lives, found new identities, and buried their old secrets deep. But when their ancient, malevolent enemy resurfaces with a vengeance, their hard-won peace is shattered in an instant. The threat is personal: the daughter of one of their own has been taken, a direct message meant to lure them out of hiding.

Now, these aging warriors must reunite for one last, desperate mission. They are older, slower, and haunted by the choices they made, but the fire of rebellion still smolders within. “One Battle After Another” is a gritty, character-driven action thriller that explores the cost of freedom, the unbreakable bonds of found family, and the brutal reality that some battles are never truly over. They must dust off their skills, confront the ghosts of their past, and fight like hell to save the future.

One Battle After Another cast and roles

1. Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob Ferguson

Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a raw, visceral performance as Bob Ferguson, the reluctant leader of the disbanded revolutionary cell. DiCaprio portrays Bob as a man physically and emotionally scarred by the past, who has carved out a fragile, simple life far from the violence of his youth. His weariness is palpable, a man who has seen too much and wants only to be left alone, making his forced return to action a deeply internal and agonizing struggle. DiCaprio masterfully conveys the conflict between his desire for peace and his unwavering sense of duty to his family.

As the mission progresses, DiCaprio peels back the layers of Bob’s trauma to reveal the cunning strategist and fierce warrior that made him a legend. His leadership is not of loud commands but of quiet, desperate determination. The safety of the child becomes his sole focus, a chance for atonement that fuels his every move. DiCaprio ensures that Bob’s journey is not just a physical battle, but a profound emotional reckoning with the man he was and the man he has become.

2. Benicio Del Toro as Sensei Sergio

Benicio Del Toro is magnetic and enigmatic as Sensei Sergio, the group’s former weapons master and tactical expert. Del Toro brings a quiet, lethal intensity to the role, portraying a man who has found a semblance of peace by teaching others to fight, all while never fully escaping the darkness within himself. His calm exterior masks a deep well of guilt and a history of violence that is slowly unearthed as the team reassembles. He is the steady, knowing hand on the wheel in the midst of the storm.

Del Toro’s performance is a masterclass in subtlety and power. His Sergio is a man of few words, but each one carries weight, and every action is precise and devastatingly effective. His dynamic with the team, particularly with Bob, is built on a foundation of mutual respect and shared trauma. Del Toro creates a character who is both a wise mentor and the most dangerous man in any room, a living weapon who is terrifyingly precise when unleashed.

3. Sean Penn as Steven “Lockjaw”

Sean Penn is utterly transformed as Steven “Lockjaw,” the loose cannon of the group, whose time in hiding has done little to temper his volatile nature. Penn portrays Lockjaw as a live wire of rage and paranoia, a man permanently on the edge, whose loyalty to his friends is the only tether keeping him from complete self-destruction. His nickname hints at a tenacity and a capacity for violence that is both the group’s greatest asset and its biggest liability.

Penn delivers a performance that is both frightening and heartbreaking. He reveals the deep psychological wounds that fuel Lockjaw’s fury, making him more than just a caricature of chaos. His commitment to the mission is absolute, but his methods are unpredictable and brutal. Penn’s Lockjaw is a tragic figure, a broken weapon that the team must carefully aim, knowing he could shatter in their hands at any moment.

4. Teyana Taylor as Perfidia

Teyana Taylor is a force of nature as Perfidia, the group’s former infiltration and intelligence expert. Taylor brings a formidable physicality and sharp intellect to the role, portraying a woman who has used her skills to build a legitimate, successful life, yet never lost her edge. Her return to the world of espionage and combat is seamless, a chilling reminder that for some, the instincts of a warrior never fade. She is the group’s eyes, ears, and often, its conscience.

Taylor’s performance showcases Perfidia’s complex duality: she is a master of disguise and deception who values authenticity above all else in her personal relationships. Her motivation is deeply personal, driven by a fierce protective instinct for her chosen family. Taylor ensures that Perfidia is not just an action heroine, but the emotional glue and strategic backbone of the team, whose cool head is essential to their survival.

5. Regina Hall as Deandra

Regina Hall brings depth, warmth, and resilience to the role of Deandra, the heart of the group and the one who worked to keep them all connected after they scattered. Hall portrays Deandra as the den mother and moral center, the person who provided safe haven and a sense of normalcy. Her strength is not in combat, but in an unwavering emotional fortitude and a fierce, protective love that becomes the team’s driving force.

Hall’s performance provides the film’s emotional anchor. As the mother of the kidnapped girl, her fear and desperation are visceral and heartbreaking, yet she never succumbs to helplessness. She is the reason they are fighting, and her courage in the face of unimaginable terror inspires the others to become the heroes they once were. Hall makes Deandra the soul of the film, whose survival is the ultimate victory.

6. Wood Harris as The Architect

Wood Harris brings a commanding and solemn gravitas to the role of The Architect, the group’s former strategist and logistics expert. Harris portrays a man who has tried to bury his revolutionary past deeper than any of them, building a legitimate and powerful life as a businessman. His return to the fold is fraught with conflict, as he must choose between the comfortable empire he built and the desperate friends who need his unique genius to succeed.

Harris’s performance is a standout of quiet intensity and internal conflict. The Architect’s mind is his weapon, and Harris shows the calculated risk and immense burden of every decision he makes. His dynamic with Bob is one of mutual respect strained by years of separation and differing paths, adding a rich layer of political and strategic tension to the group’s mission. He is the key that unlocks the resources they need to wage war.

7. Chase Infiniti as Krait

Chase Infiniti is chillingly effective as Krait, the primary enforcer and ruthless lieutenant for the resurgent enemy. Infiniti brings a cold, predatory stillness to the role, making Krait a formidable and intelligent threat rather than a simple brute. His loyalty to the main villain is absolute, and his methods are efficient, cruel, and designed to inflict maximum psychological damage on his targets.

Infiniti’s performance creates a perfect physical and ideological foil for the aging heroes. Krait represents the new generation of threat—younger, faster, and utterly without the moral compass that both hinders and defines the protagonists. His scenes with the team, particularly with Sensei Sergio, are charged with a palpable generational conflict, symbolizing the past and present clashing in a violent showdown.

8. Alana Haim as Petra

Alana Haim makes a stunning dramatic turn as Petra, a sharp, resourceful, and tech-savvy underground operative who holds critical information about the enemy’s plans. Haim portrays Petra with a nervous energy and cynical wit that belies a deep-seated desire to do what’s right. She is the reluctant guide who is thrust into the world of these legendary warriors, becoming an invaluable and unexpected member of their makeshift family.

Haim’s character provides a crucial link between the old world and the new. Petra’s skills with technology and her knowledge of the current landscape are vital assets that the older generation lacks. Her journey from a scared informant to a committed fighter mirrors the audience’s entry into this brutal world, and Haim makes her transformation both believable and deeply compelling.

9. D.W. Moffett as Bill Desmond

D.W. Moffett is perfectly cast as Bill Desmond, a powerful and seemingly respectable public figure—a senator or corporate titan—whose polished exterior masks a sinister and deeply connected past to the group’s old enemy. Moffett brings a smarmy, calculated charm to the role, making Desmond a villain who operates in boardrooms and on television screens, a far more insidious threat than any street-level enforcer.

Moffett’s performance is a masterclass in quiet menace. Desmond represents the true face of the enemy: institutional, politically protected, and utterly ruthless. His interactions with the team are verbal sparring matches filled with veiled threats and smug superiority. He is the puppet master pulling the strings, and Moffett makes him a detestable and formidable antagonist whose defeat requires more than just brute force.

Why One Battle After Another Is a Must-See

• A-List Powerhouse Cast: A staggering ensemble of Oscar-winning and nominated actors operating at the peak of their powers.

• Gritty, Character-Driven Action: The fight scenes are brutal and realistic, serving the story of these aged, broken warriors.

• Emotional Depth: A thriller with a profound heart, exploring themes of legacy, trauma, and redemption.

• High-Stakes Thrills: A relentless, tense plot that delivers both white-knuckle action and powerful character moments.

Some Warriors Can’t Retire. They Can Only Reload. One Battle After Another premieres in theaters September 26, 2025.