Leonardo DiCaprio’s Latest Film Faces $100 Million Loss Despite Solid Box Office Start
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, has drawn praise from critics but faces serious financial challenges. The action thriller, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, also features Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. The story follows an ex-revolutionary who is forced back into action when he and his daughter are hunted by a corrupt military officer.
Anderson had wanted to adapt Vineland for years, eventually weaving in his own ideas alongside Pynchon’s story. Filming took place in California using VistaVision, a format rarely used since the 1960s, and the film became the most expensive of Anderson’s career, with costs rising from $115 million to $175 million.
One Battle After Another premiered in Los Angeles on September 8, and opened in U.S. theaters on September 26 through Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has been praised for its direction and performances, becoming Anderson’s highest-grossing film to date with $140.9 million worldwide. In the U.S. and Canada, it has made $55.7 million, while international markets contributed $85.2 million.
From Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson, #OneBattleAfterAnother.
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) March 27, 2025
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. Only in theaters September 26. pic.twitter.com/nH4nIzzjUV
The movie opened in 3,634 theaters, marking Anderson’s first wide release. It earned $8.8 million on opening day, including $3.1 million from Thursday previews, and made $22 million over its opening weekend, topping the box office. However, the second weekend saw a 50% drop to $11 million, placing it behind Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.
Despite the strong numbers for a nearly three-hour, R-rated film, Variety reports that the movie will need around $300 million to break even. Warner Bros. spent over $130 million on production and $70 million on marketing. Ticket revenue is usually split 50-50 with theaters, and DiCaprio reportedly takes a percentage of the gross before the studio recoups its costs.
Shawn Robbins, a box office analyst at Fandango, noted why the film might be struggling. “These prestige-type movies have failed to create a sense of FOMO among audiences. They weren’t event-ized enough,” he said.
Robbins also pointed out that many viewers now wait for streaming releases, especially for films without superheroes or major spectacle. “People have come to expect these movies to be available in the home much sooner than they used to be,” he added.
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