Big Wins and Bigger Hopes: A Weekend at the Movies

Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "One Battle After Another, " made a strong start with $8. 8 million on its opening day. This includes earnings from special preview screenings in premium theaters. The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, cost a lot to make and promote. But critics love it, and audiences seem to enjoy it too, giving it an "A" grade. This is a big deal because Anderson's earlier film, "Boogie Nights, " got a much lower grade when it first came out. The film is showing in many different formats, like IMAX and even a rare format called VistaVision. These special showings come with higher ticket prices, which helps bring in more money. Right now, the film is on track to make between $20 million and $25 million over the weekend. But to make a profit, it needs to keep drawing crowds and do well overseas. For Anderson, this film could be his biggest hit ever. His previous biggest success, "There Will Be Blood, " made $40 million domestically. Warner Bros. has been having a great run with big openings, so this film is a big test for them. Meanwhile, Universal is releasing "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie, " aimed at young kids. It's expected to make around $13. 6 million over the weekend. The film is based on a popular Netflix show and has a great CinemaScore grade of "A+". It cost $32 million to make, so it needs to do well to be considered a success. Lionsgate is also releasing a new horror film, "The Strangers: Chapter II. " It's the second part of a planned trilogy. So far, it's not doing as well as the first film, with a projected opening of around $5. 6 million. Critics and audiences aren't very impressed, giving it a "C-" grade. But since it was cheap to make, it might still turn a profit. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle" is still doing well in its third weekend, but it's dropping in rankings. It's expected to make around $6. 8 million this weekend. Another Warner Bros. film, "The Conjuring: Last Rites, " is also doing well, with a projected total of $161 million by the end of its fourth weekend. Other films like "Him" and "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" are not doing as well. "Him" is expected to make around $20. 9 million domestically, which is not great compared to its budget. "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" is also struggling, with a projected 10-day total of $5. 9 million.