‘One Battle After Another’ tops North American box office

Paul Thomas Anderson’s much-acclaimed epic “One Battle After Another” opened to $22.4 million in ticket sales from North American theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

The 170-minute drama, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor and Sean Penn, has been hailed as one of the year’s most powerful films, resonating with themes of rebellion and political conflict. Backed by Warner Bros. with a budget of over $130 million, the film also drew $26.1 million from overseas markets.

Critics have called it Anderson’s best work yet, and awards pundits are already touting it as a frontrunner for best picture. Audiences gave the film an “A” CinemaScore, far better than Anderson’s earlier wide releases including Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999).

Despite strong reviews and DiCaprio’s star power, box office analysts noted that the opening figure is modest compared to its production cost. Warner Bros. executives did not comment on the performance, but industry observers believe the film’s long-term run, word-of-mouth and awards buzz could help it recover its investment.

For Warner Bros., this is the ninth film this year to open at No. 1, contributing to a global tally of $4 billion. The studio also released Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” earlier in April, which grossed $366.7 million worldwide.

Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland”, “One Battle After Another” features DiCaprio as a former revolutionary living off the grid with his teenage daughter. The film was shot in VistaVision and screened in premium formats including 70mm and IMAX.