Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated film, “One Battle After Another,” debuted over the weekend, attracting significant attention and ticket sales. The film’s leading character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a former revolutionary living off the grid with his teenage daughter Chase Infiniti. It debuted with a terrific $22.4 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters. It went on to make another $26.1 million in international markets, due in no small part to DiCaprio’s stardom.
Loose re-creation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, One Battle After Another Is Expensive. Given that the film’s production costs were reported to be at least $130 million, plus huge marketing expenditures, even with its optimistic start, this haul is viewed as a letdown for a movie of that size. Usually, this size-budgeted project would need way more upfront ticket pre-sales just to break even.
Anderson’s choice to skip the usual autumn festival circuit might have had an effect on the film’s potential opening weekend performance. And sure enough, both critics and audiences rushed to screenings with standing ovations in Venice and Toronto. “One Battle After Another” debuted amid none of the typical festival glamour. It’s been widely lauded by critics, who are calling it one of the best films of the year. This praise makes the box office outcome more consequential.
Its CinemaScore from audiences was an “A,” so people went and liked it. That’s because this positive feedback is central to keeping its long-term performance on an upward trajectory. “The long-term playability is going to be critical for this,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. That critical acclaim and audience approval will no doubt fuel some repeat viewings and keep ticket sales strong over the next few weeks.
Visually, “One Battle After Another” is remarkable for its breathtaking VistaVision cinematography. It is terrible that it is being screened in IMAX and 70mm on four screens, spoiling theatrical experience. It’s a big swing and enormous risk for Warner Bros. with this 170 minute epic dramatic powerhouse. They are hoping that audiences will come to understand its complexity and ambition.
Even with that early success and that critical acclaim, Anderson’s films have often failed to find a significant box office footprint. With “One Battle After Another,” the industry is again watching closely to see if it can finally break this trend. Oscar prognosticators have identified it as one of the top best picture contenders this year. This recognition only further increases the excitement for its trajectory into the future.
