Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated action-drama One Battle After Another is storming the North American box office. After earning a solid $8.8 million on Friday, including previews, the film is now on track for a $20–21 million opening weekend, easily securing the No. 1 spot.

This marks one of the strongest showings of Anderson’s career and a significant milestone for original, auteur-driven cinema in a marketplace dominated by franchises and superhero sagas.

A Bold $130M Gamble With Star Power at the Center

The film, which reportedly carries a budget of $130–140 million, is Anderson’s most expensive project to date. At its core, One Battle After Another is a gripping story of redemption and sacrifice.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a washed-up revolutionary reluctantly called back into action when his daughter, played by Chase Infiniti, is kidnapped by his old nemesis, portrayed by Sean Penn. The supporting cast includes Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor, each adding weight to Anderson’s complex narrative.

The production’s scale is matched by its critical reception. The movie has opened to universal acclaim, boasting a 95 score on Metacritic and an A CinemaScore from audiences.

The Hollywood Reporter’s critic Richard Lawson summed it up best: “One Battle After Another is a furious film, a richly engaging and persuasive polemic from a filmmaker who has never shied from provocation but who has not before spoken so directly to his audience.”

Wide Release Strategy and Premium Formats

Warner Bros. released One Battle After Another across 3,500 theaters and 7,000 screens, maximizing reach. Importantly, the studio leaned into premium formats to give the film a grand cinematic appeal. Audiences can experience it in 70mm, IMAX 70mm, IMAX Digital, and VistaVision (though the latter only on four screens nationwide).

Internationally, the film is opening in over 70 territories, including major markets like France, Italy, and the U.K..

The strong rollout ensures that the film has the potential to be not just a domestic hit, but also a global contender.

Anderson’s Biggest Opening Weekend Yet

If estimates hold, this will become Anderson’s biggest domestic opening weekend ever. His previous box office high was There Will Be Blood, which grossed $40 million total in North America.

For comparison, Anderson’s Licorice Pizza had a far more modest performance despite critical acclaim. Now, with DiCaprio’s star power, Anderson is finally breaking into the mass audience space once dominated by filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino.

Warner Bros.’ Winning Streak Continues

Warner Bros. has been enjoying a remarkable run at the global box office. Their recent successes include:

• Minecraft – $957 million worldwide

• Ryan Coogler’s Sinners – $366 million worldwide

• New Line’s Weapons – $264 million worldwide

Meanwhile, The Conjuring: Last Rites, another Warner Bros. title, is holding strong in its fourth weekend with $1.9 million on Friday, bringing its domestic total to $156.5 million and $421 million worldwide.

With One Battle After Another, Warner Bros. is proving once again that investing in big, original projects can pay off—not just financially but also in prestige.

Other Box Office Players This Weekend

• Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie

Universal and DreamWorks are also making noise at the box office with Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie. Based on the hugely popular Netflix children’s series, the film earned $4.3 million on Friday (including previews) and is projected to earn $13.6 million for the weekend.

The voice cast includes Laila Lockhart Kraner, reprising her role from the series, alongside Gloria Estefan and Kristen Wiig. The movie received an A+ CinemaScore, signaling strong word-of-mouth among families.

Notably, the franchise has sold 3 million dollhouses since 2021 and continues to expand, with Season 12 set to premiere on Netflix on November 17, 2025.

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle

Meanwhile, Crunchyroll and Sony’s anime juggernaut Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle added $1.8 million on Friday from nearly 3,000 locations, bringing its domestic total to $117.9 million. This comes after its record-setting $70 million U.S. opening.

Audience Response and Word-of-Mouth

So far, audience feedback for One Battle After Another has been glowing. PostTrak reports a 74% “definite recommend” rate, alongside the solid A CinemaScore. Nearly 90% of viewers said the film met or exceeded their expectations.

The demographics breakdown reveals:

• 50% men over 25

• 29% women over 25

• 14% men under 25

• 9% women under 25

In terms of diversity:

• 50% Caucasian

• 20% Hispanic and Latino

• 15% Black

• 7% Asian

The film is performing best in coastal cities, with AMC’s Lincoln Square in New York being the top-grossing theater so far, pulling in $112,000 alone.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Box Office Power

One major factor driving ticket sales is Leonardo DiCaprio himself. According to PostTrak, 41% of moviegoers said DiCaprio was the main reason they bought tickets.

This marks DiCaprio’s 11th film to open above $20 million, reaffirming his position as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars—especially when he attaches himself to ambitious, original projects.

As one distribution executive put it: “Without him, the movie is a niche Anderson play.”

DiCaprio also actively promoted the film, appearing at screenings, including his hometown Vista Theater in Los Angeles, and encouraging fans on social media to buy tickets.

Social Media Buzz

The film’s social media footprint spans 250 million across TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube, according to RelishMix. That’s higher than A24’s Civil War (101M) and even DiCaprio’s own Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (241.7M).

Fans online are calling the collaboration a dream project. One viral comment read: “One Battle After Another gonna be the greatest Leonardo DiCaprio performance since The Wolf of Wall Street!!!”

Another declared: “The best Hollywood star meets the best American filmmaker of our generation! Most anticipated.”

Many are also praising Jonny Greenwood’s score, drawing parallels to his groundbreaking work on There Will Be Blood.

The Budget Question

Still, the elephant in the room remains the massive budget. Spending over $130 million on an original, non-IP film carries huge risks. As one industry observer noted, “Anything north of $130M for non-IP, particularly for what’s arguably a left-leaning car chase epic, is just risky.”

But Warner Bros. believed in Anderson’s vision, winning the project in a competitive auction. The studio also balanced the risk by securing other highly profitable titles this year, making it the first studio to cross $4 billion globally in 2025.

Oscar Buzz Already Building

Since its early screenings, One Battle After Another has been generating Oscar chatter. At its September 12 Academy screening, the film earned a standing ovation and packed theater. Industry insiders are already comparing its trajectory to Best Picture winners like:

• Argo (2012) – $19.4M opening, $136M domestic total

• The Departed (2006) – $26.8M opening, $132.2M domestic total

If the film holds steady in coming weeks, Warner Bros. may have both a box office success and an awards contender on its hands.

Final Thoughts

One Battle After Another represents a major gamble for Warner Bros. and Paul Thomas Anderson, but early results suggest that gamble is paying off. With stellar critical acclaim, glowing audience feedback, Leonardo DiCaprio’s star power, and a $21 million projected opening weekend, the film is proving that original, auteur-driven cinema can still command big audiences.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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