One Battle After Another’s release strategy is a subtly canny decision by Warner Bros. that could help ensure the Paul Thomas Anderson movie earns Oscar nominations. PTA’s latest film, a politically minded modern epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, has been earning rave reviews and solid box office returns.
One Battle After Another is expected to be a contender at the Academy Awards and at other award ceremonies. This might make some wonder why Warner Bros. released the film now instead of deeper into award season. However, it might have quietly been the perfect way to ensure the film remains a vital part of the Oscar race.
One Battle After Another Circumvented The Festival Cycle
While the release of One Battle After Another in September makes it one of the earliest presumed Oscar contenders to receive a wide theatrical release, this may be a deft bit of strategizing by Warner Bros. that helps ensure the film finds new life in the middle of award season.
Initially slated for release in August, One Battle After Another circumvented the typical award season release strategy by avoiding the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto film festivals. At first glance, this could have been seen as a lack of confidence in the film by the studio.
However, in doing so, One Battle After Another avoided immediate comparison to other expected contenders that premiered at the festivals like Hamnet, Bugonia, Jay Kelly, and Blue Moon. This means the film didn’t risk being overshadowed by other festival favorites and stands out in the conversation.
In fact, debuting in a week with little direct competition outside of smaller releases (like Eleanor the Great and Dead of Winter) or deliberate counter-programming (such as the family-friendly Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie and the horror film The Strangers – Chapter 2) ensured One Battle After Another tops the cultural conversation surrounding film.
This also means it avoids any direct competition with other expected award contenders, giving it room to breathe and dominate the news cycle. This is crucial to the film developing a narrative around itself for award season, which can often be the key to elevating a film above its competition.
Bolstered by some of the best reviews of Paul Thomas Anderson’s career, a solid expected box office haul, and an impressive audience Cinescore of A, the latest Leonardo DiCaprio movie is making a strong showing for itself with broader audiences as well.
By avoiding the festival circuit and instead relying on word-of-mouth and a remarkably strong critical reception to generate excitement, One Battle After Another has been able to steal the thunder from the festival darlings. This positions itself well as a contender for the upcoming award season, which will only be reinforced by the natural state of theatrical and home releases.
One Battle After Another’s Winter Home Release Might Help Earn Oscar Nominations
The push and pull between theatrical and home releases has been a thorny subject for studios. For example, Warner Bros. agreed to a 45-day theatrical window in 2021. Their theatrical releases remain on the big screen for just over seven weeks before it can be released on VOD or be made available on streaming services like HBO Max.
While that window can be adjusted to accommodate the relative success of a release, Warner Bros. typically utilizes that window. A perfect example would be Sinners, which debuted in theaters April 18 and was released on VOD in June 3) for its releases.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see One Battle After Another follow a similar trajectory, getting a home release as quickly as possible to ensure the film continues to do business even as it winds down its theatrical run. By releasing the film on September 26, Warner Bros. has set up the likely VOD date to be around November 10.
This will be right in the middle of the typical time when award contenders are getting wide releases, ensuring that One Battle After Another reaches audiences who missed it on the big screen. Broad audiences and specific critic circles could choose to revisit the film, developing a new appreciation for it just as award nominations begin to materialize.
This will naturally remind prospective voters of the critical and commercial success of the film while compiling their own nominations and favorites. One Battle After Another’s theatrical rollout is a canny strategy by Warner Bros., continuing their 2025 hot streak while ensuring the movie will be readily available for audiences (and voters) to check out again later in the year.
In a stacked year of prospective Academy Award competitors (including other Warner Bros. releases like F1, Sinners, and Weapons), the release strategy behind One Battle After Another might be the best way to ensure it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. It keeps the movie in the Oscar hunt, even as it comes out before much of its expected competition.