NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated film, One Battle After Another, made an impressive debut at the North American box office, bringing in $22.4 million over its opening weekend. This noteworthy total comes amidst the backdrop of the studio’s significant investment of over $130 million, which marks a high-stakes gamble for Warner Bros. The film, which has a runtime of 170 minutes, is positioned as a substantial drama rather than a typical franchise or superhero flick that often dominates ticket sales.
Critics have praised One Battle After Another as a standout cinematic experience of the year. Featuring a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, and Sean Penn, the movie engages with contemporary political issues, earning itself the status of a likely contender for multiple Oscars, most notably as a frontrunner for best picture. The international reception was also favorable, as the film garnered an additional $26.1 million overseas, bolstered by DiCaprio's popularity.
Despite these successful figures, industry analysts caution that good reviews and star power alone may not ensure the film's profitability. With a production budget of at least $130 million and substantial marketing costs, the initial box office return of $22.4 million has raised concerns. Typically, films in this budget category would be expected to perform much better on opening weekend, marking this as a potential red flag for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. appears to be banking on the longevity of the film's theatrical run rather than its immediate box office performance. The studio is hopeful that positive word-of-mouth, discussions about awards, and increasing recognition of One Battle After Another as a landmark film will maintain strong ticket sales in the weeks ahead. Early indicators of success include a high audience approval rating, as the film received an “A” CinemaScore, significantly better than Anderson's previous works such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love, which received lower grades.
Historically, Anderson’s films have not achieved significant box office success. His highest-grossing film to date remains There Will Be Blood, which earned $76.4 million worldwide. Nevertheless, One Battle After Another marks a notable entry as it represents Warner Bros.' ninth movie of the year to open at number one, surpassing other studios, and contributing to a noteworthy $4 billion in global sales. This year has seen the release of several innovative films from the studio, which are not always immediately recognized in theaters.
In second place for the weekend was Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, which grossed $13.5 million across 3,500 theaters. This represents a solid start for the film, which is based on the popular series and had a production budget of $32 million. Furthermore, it also achieved an impressive “A+” CinemaScore from audiences.
Falling to third place was the anime hit Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which added $7.1 million to its already impressive North American total of $118.1 million, setting a record for anime releases in the region.
As the final domestic figures are calculated, here is the list of the top 10 movies by domestic box office for the weekend, factoring in estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday at theaters in the United States and Canada, according to Comscore:
- One Battle After Another
- Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle - $7.1 million
- The Conjuring: Last Rites
- The Strangers: Chapter 2
- Him
- The Long Walk
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
- They Call Him OG
- A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
Reported by Jake Coyle, The Associated Press.
