Leonardo DiCaprio is advocating for moviegoers to experience One Battle After Another in theaters, emphasizing the importance of the “Leonardo DiCaprio theater experience.” Despite high critical acclaim and a 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the film faces uncertainty at the box office following its $3.1 million preview earnings. Warner Bros. projects an opening weekend around $20 million, a figure that would interrupt its impressive streak of $40 million plus openings for 2025, highlighting the challenges of sustaining theatrical attendance.
Box Office Performance and Artistic Ambitions Behind the Film
The modest preview numbers contrast with the film’s considerable production budget, estimated between $125 million and $170 million. For DiCaprio, the film’s theatrical performance holds special significance beyond mere financial returns. He explained to Variety that Paul Thomas Anderson, the director, intentionally designed the movie for the big screen, using rare Vista Vision cameras to craft an immersive viewing experience not often seen in contemporary cinema.
“I think there’s just an inundation of content and so much production going on now — which is a good thing, obviously. But I think box office is important because it means people are in the seats going to theater, going to have that communal experience,”
DiCaprio told Variety.
“I mean, Paul shot this movie in Vista Vision — cameras that have rarely been used since the early ‘60s. He wants people to have that immersive experience and make an action film that’s unexpected, tactile, realistic and something that is probably a lot different than what we’ve been saturated with. In that respect, box office is very important,”
he added.
The Broader Challenges Facing Theaters and the Film Industry Today
The current state of the film industry is precarious, with theaters closing steadily and fewer people attending screenings post-pandemic. Though Paul Thomas Anderson is a celebrated filmmaker, his past box office results have not been blockbuster-level hits. His highest-grossing film, 2007’s There Will Be Blood, earned $76.4 million worldwide, while 2014’s Inherent Vice made only $14.8 million globally against a $20 million budget. Warner Bros.’ expectations for One Battle After Another are noticeably higher given its scale and budget.
Buzz and Word of Mouth May Influence Opening Weekend Results
Despite industry skepticism, enthusiasm surrounding One Battle After Another is unusually strong for a non-franchise film. Positive word of mouth has potential to push the opening weekend above projections, possibly keeping Warner Bros.’ streak intact. The film’s preview numbers are similar to DiCaprio’s previous release in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which previewed at $2.6 million and finished with a $23 million opening but ultimately failed to break even due to marketing strikes and a notably longer runtime.
DiCaprio remains hopeful for strong theatrical attendance.
“I would only hope that people go out to the theater and experience it the way it’s meant to be seen,”
he said. This hope reflects not only the creative intentions behind the movie but also a larger desire for communal movie-watching to persist in an era of streaming dominance.
Potential Obstacles Affecting Audience Response
Recent national conversations on political violence, notably sparked by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, have raised concerns about how audiences might respond to a film centered on ex-revolutionaries. Paul Thomas Anderson commented to Le Figaro that, while the murder was tragic, he does not believe it bears any connection to his film.
“I don’t think we can bring it back to my film, an action-comedy very far from reality. I’m just trying to sell movie tickets for a fiction movie,”
Anderson remarked, underlining the film’s intention as pure entertainment rather than political commentary.
The Stakes Beyond Box Office Numbers
If One Battle After Another surpasses its box office prospects, the success would resonate beyond Warner Bros.’ financial bottom line or Anderson’s career milestones. The film, marked by its combination of thrilling action and humor, taps into political themes resonant with American audiences during times of division and social unrest. A strong theatrical run could signal a renewed appetite for films that engage with contemporary issues through inventive storytelling and shared, immersive experiences.
As the movie industry confronts waning attendance and shifting consumption habits, the performance of this film may influence how studios approach original, auteur-driven productions in the future. More than just another release, it represents a potential turning point for the theatrical movie-going tradition and its role in shaping cultural conversations.
