‘One Battle After Another’ tops box office with $22.4 million

LOS ANGELES – “One Battle After Another” opened with $22.4 million this weekend to lead all films in North America, according to industry estimates released Sunday.

Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland,” and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn.

DreamWorks’ “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” opened in second place with $13.7 million, Comscore reported.

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — the Movie Infinity Castle” grossed

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” was fourth with $6.86 million in its fourth weekend, followed by “The Strangers: Chapter 2,” which opened with $5.9 million.

Rounding out the top 10 domestic releases were “Him” ($3.6 million), “The Long Walk” ($3.4 million), “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” ($3.3 million), “They Call Him OG” ($1.4 million) and “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” ($1.2 million) .

“One Battle After Another,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s widely acclaimed American epic of rebellion and resistance signifies a major gamble by Warner Bros.

Anderson, many critics said, delivered the movie of year. “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor and Sean Penn, has been hailed as a film brimming with many of the political conflicts of today.

Oscar prognosticators have pegged it this year’s best-picture front-runner. Aided by DiCaprio’s drawing power, the film added $26.1 million overseas.

Audiences gave “One Battle After Another” an “A” CinemaScore. That’s far better than CinemaScores for previous Anderson wide releases, including 1997’s “Boogie Nights” (“C”), 1999’s “Magnolia” (“C-“) and 2002’s “Punch-Drunk Love” (“D+).

“The long-term playability is going to be key for this,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “And given the outpouring of support by critics and audiences, alike, that’s where it’s going to make back its budget.” (With CNS and AP reports)

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