Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ Launches to $22M and Awards Season Buzz

A stylish but slow-burning debut for PTA’s R-rated action epic — now playing in theaters.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s long-awaited return to cinemas may not be a box office juggernaut — at least not yet — but it’s certainly a conversation starter. One Battle After Another, a three-hour political action-comedy starring Leonardo DiCaprio, launched to $22.4 million across 3,634 North American theaters, with an additional $26.1 million overseas. That puts the global launch at $48.5 million — a respectable start for a prestige original, but well below break-even territory.

Produced for a reported $130 million and marketed heavily with another $70 million in global P&A spend, the R-rated film faces a high bar to profitability, likely needing north of $300 million worldwide to recoup theatrical costs. However, with critical acclaim (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), an “A” CinemaScore, and 51% of its domestic revenue coming from premium formats like IMAX and Dolby, Warner Bros. is banking on word-of-mouth and awards buzz to keep the momentum going.

Big Star, Bigger Stakes

DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a washed-up revolutionary trying to stay off the grid with his teenage daughter Willa (newcomer Chase Infiniti), only to be pulled back into the chaos when a political enemy (Sean Penn) resurfaces. With Anderson at the helm — his first film since 2021’s Licorice Pizza — expectations were high, though even his most successful film, There Will Be Blood, topped out at $76.4 million globally. DiCaprio’s star power may help push the film further, though his last prestige vehicle, Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, opened slightly higher ($23M) but had a more modest final gross.

For now, One Battle After Another is relying on older male moviegoers (65% male, 42% over age 25) and cinephiles looking for more than a franchise fix. Early reactions suggest Anderson has once again split the difference between commercial and critical success — a pattern not unfamiliar to his filmography.

Elsewhere at the Box Office

The weekend’s other newcomers paled in comparison. Universal’s family-friendly Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie opened with $13.5 million — right on projections — and scored an “A+” CinemaScore, hinting at long legs with the preschool set. Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s horror sequel The Strangers: Chapter 2 bombed with $5.9 million and a dismal 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, down sharply from its predecessor.

In the holdover column, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle continued its historic run, now at $605 million globally, making it the highest-grossing anime release in North America. The Conjuring: Last Rites also passed $435 million worldwide, the biggest entry in the franchise to date.

POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

However, not all prestige plays landed. Universal’s Him, produced by Jordan Peele, fell 71% in its second weekend, and Sony’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey dropped to 10th place with a 63% fall, signaling weak legs despite festival buzz and its A-list cast.

What Comes Next?

The path forward for One Battle After Another may depend on the strength of its legs — and how audiences around the world respond. With international expansion underway, Oscar season kicking off, and positive buzz in full swing, it’s not out of the fight yet.

But it will need to hold strong for weeks, especially as October brings competition in the form of Wicked: Part One, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Anaconda.

If One Battle After Another can maintain pace and ride critical momentum, Warner Bros. may just have the year’s most unlikely sleeper hit on its hands.