Warner Bros.‘ highly anticipated film, “One Battle After Another,” debuted with a remarkable $8.8 million from Friday and preview screenings across 3,634 locations in North America. This impressive figure includes earnings from advance fan-first screenings held on Tuesday, which were showcased in premium large-format auditoriums. The studio has invested over $130 million in production before launching a global marketing campaign, highlighting their commitment to this project. Directed by the acclaimed Paul Thomas Anderson and featuring the talented Leonardo DiCaprio, the film is characterized as a hyper-contemporary action epic that has already gained significant recognition among critics.
“One Battle After Another” has quickly established itself as a modern classic, earning a spot as a heavyweight contender in the upcoming awards season. Notably, it has been well-received by audiences, earning a superb “A” grade from moviegoer survey firm CinemaScore. This stands in stark contrast to the “C” grade received by Anderson’s beloved film, “Boogie Nights,” back in 1997. Additionally, this marks DiCaprio’s highest CinemaScore since the iconic “Titanic,” which achieved an “A+” in the same year.
Adding to the film’s allure is its unique theatrical rollout, featuring screenings in IMAX and other premium large formats. Audiences can also experience the film in 70mm and even in the long-dormant VistaVision format, which Anderson specifically utilized for filming. These premium options come with higher ticket prices, contributing to the film’s box office success. Currently, “One Battle After Another” is on track to meet pre-weekend projections, aiming for an opening weekend gross between $20 million and $25 million.
Despite its promising start, “One Battle After Another” faces the challenge of maintaining momentum through strong word-of-mouth and achieving significant overseas earnings to turn a profit in theaters. Anderson has humorously acknowledged his past struggles with box office performance, referring to himself as “box-office challenged” in an interview. His previous top hit, “There Will Be Blood,” ended with a domestic gross of $40 million and a worldwide total of $76 million.
In a contrasting move, Universal is launching the G-rated film “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” across 3,500 locations, aiming for a strong second-place debut after garnering $4.3 million from Friday and previews. Projections suggest an opening weekend gross of around $13.6 million, fitting within the pre-weekend tracking range of $12 million to $15 million. This DreamWorks Animation production adapts the popular Netflix series that has captivated audiences with its 11 seasons since its debut in 2021. With a production budget of $32 million, the film blends live-action and animation and is also enjoying positive audience feedback, reflected in its “A+” grade from CinemaScore.
Also making its debut this weekend is Lionsgate’s “The Strangers: Chapter II,” the second installment in what is planned to be a trilogy directed by Renny Harlin. The film earned $2.4 million from Friday and previews across 2,690 locations, with projections for a three-day opening around $5.6 million. This is notably less than the $11.8 million debut of the first installment, which received poor critical reception. CinemaScore indicates a disappointing “C-” grade from audiences, despite the film’s modest production cost of $8.5 million.
Meanwhile, after dominating domestic charts for two weekends, Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” is expected to slide to third place, projected to earn $6.8 million in its third weekend. The film has been a remarkable success, with a domestic total nearing $117.8 million, making it the 15th highest-grossing North American release of 2025.
Warner Bros. is also vying for a strong position with “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” which earned another $2 million on Friday, reflecting a 46% drop from the previous week. This sequel is anticipated to reach a total of $161 million through its fourth weekend, a commendable achievement against its $55 million budget. Although marketed as the final chapter in the story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the success may suggest further opportunities for the franchise.
Finally, Universal’s horror film “Him” is experiencing a substantial decline, projected to drop 71% in its second weekend, with an estimated total of $20.9 million against a $27 million production budget. Similarly, Sony’s “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” is also fading, with a projected $1.2 million in its sophomore outing, leading to a total of $5.9 million after 10 days in theaters.
