Paul Thomas Anderson‘s The Master is a film shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Starring Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Oscar nominees Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams, The Master is an intense drama set in the 1950s, exploring the relationship between the leader of a Scientology-like faith based organisation, and a young drifter.
The film is written and directed by Anderson – the Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood filmmaker.
The auteur’s first project in five years, not much is known about The Master. The film, however, is expected to feature familiar Anderson traits, including grand themes, large ensemble casts and idiosyncratic writing.
Due to be released in October, much of The Master has been kept under wraps. So far, two trailers have been released, providing a brief glimpse of what to expect.
Though Anderson has been quick to play down comparisons between Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character - Lancaster Dodd - and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, The Master has still attracted its fair share of controversy; with many regarding the upcoming film as a fictional study of the organisation.
While The Master’s newly unveiled poster is just as enigmatic and aloof as the rest of the film’s publicity, its strange and cryptic artwork is sure to ramp up the buzz around the movie.
