One Battle After Another proves something we’ve always suspected about Leonardo DiCaprio

Director Paul Thomas Anderson is back with One Battle After Anotherone of the most talked about films of the year — and with Leonardo DiCaprio in a role like you’ve never seen before. The production, freely inspired by the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, a mix of politics, family drama and moments of unexpected humor, showing an unprecedented side of the star of The Wolf of Wall Street and proving what we always suspected: his talent for comedy.

In the plot, DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a former explosives expert from a revolutionary group called French 75, who tries to reconnect with his daughter, Willa (played by the revelation Chase Infiniti). Amidst political and existential dilemmas, the film follows the journey of a father who wants to leave a better world for his daughter — even though he himself is completely lost.

Although the film has a more political and emotional tone, One Battle After Another It also surprises with its humor. DiCaprio, who is rarely associated with comedy, delivers some of the funniest moments of his career — reminiscent of the explosive charisma he displayed in The Wolf of Wall Street e Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood.

One of the most hilarious scenes involves a chaotic phone call: after having his home invaded, Bob tries to contact the revolutionary group, but despairs after forgetting one of the answers to the secret code. The exchange of lines turns into a comedic sequence worthy of a 2000s classic, with DiCaprio screaming, crying and begging for help.

Critics have praised the balance between humor and drama, highlighting the work of Paul Thomas Anderson — which, once again, combines emotional intensity, irony and moments of pure absurdity. In addition to DiCaprio, the cast features Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and Dan Chariton, composing a universe that mixes action, reflection and political satire.

With striking scenes and Leonardo DiCaprio completely committed to the role, One Battle After Another brings together a good dose of chaos and heart. The film is now showing in theaters and promises to be one of the highlights of the awards season.

Box office

One Battle After Another debuted with good numbers at the global box office, but still faces the challenge of offsetting its high production cost. The director’s mix of political drama and humor Licorice Pizza e Black Blood attracted attention from the public and critics, consolidating a promising opening.

According to preliminary data, One Battle After Another it grossed around US$22.4 million in its first weekend in the United States. In the international market, the film added another US$26.1 million, totaling US$48.5 million in three days. The global performance already exceeds US$ 100 million in the first weeks of exhibition.

Despite the good results, the film — which cost between US$130 and 140 million to produce — still needs to maintain momentum in the coming weeks to reach the break-even point. Analysts estimate that production will need to surpass the US$250 million mark to start generating a profit, taking into account marketing and distribution expenses.

Even so, the debut represents a milestone in Paul Thomas Anderson’s career: it is the best domestic opening of his career, surpassing titles such as Phantom Plot e Magnolia. The opening performance also reflects the appeal of Leonardo DiCaprio, who leads the cast in one of the most talked about performances of the year.

The studios are now banking on positive word of mouth and awards season nominations to prolong the film’s success. With enthusiastic reviews and highlights at international festivals, One Battle After Another should continue to be shown for several weeks and has the potential to consolidate itself as one of the biggest authorial successes of 2025.

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