Epic war drama One Battle After Another stormed the box office with an $8.8 million opening day, signaling a strong start for the action-packed release.
Warner Bros. film starring Leonardo DiCaprio earned $8.8 million on Friday, including previews from 3,634 theaters across North America, with fan screenings earlier in the week adding to the total.
The studio poured over $130 million into Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio’s action epic, and it’s paying off.
One Battle After Another is being hailed as a modern classic, earning rave reviews and an “A” CinemaScore — DiCaprio’s best since Titanic.
The film’s release matches its hype, with screenings in IMAX, 70mm, and even the rare VistaVision format, premium formats that come with higher ticket prices and help boost box office totals.
One Battle is tracking a $20–25 million debut as the strong reviews could keep it relevant, but with a soft start, it will need word-of-mouth and overseas success to turn a profit.
Anderson’s, who is writer-director of the movie, top hit ever is his 2007 There Will Be Blood, which ended with $40 million domestic and $76 million worldwide.
Notably, joining the slate this weekend, Lionsgate premiered The Strangers: Chapter II, the second film in Renny Harlin’s horror trilogy.
It took in $2.4 million across 2,690 venues on Friday and previews, tracking for $5.6 million, less than half of Chapter I’s $11.8 million debut in May.
