This awards season, One Battle After Another is the movie everyone’s buzzing about. It’s been on a winning streak, scooping honors at the National Board of Review (NBR) and hurling Leonardo DiCaprio right back into the awards-season spotlight.
Sure, the box office didn’t go crazy, but the film’s bold storytelling and knockout performances clearly hit the right notes with critics and Hollywood insiders.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another wins big at NBR despite box office fumble
At the 2025 NBR Awards on December 3, One Battle After Another cleaned house. The film scooped up five major wins. This included Best Film, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor for Benicio del Toro, and a breakout nomination for rising star Chase Infiniti.
The NBR called the movie “bold, funny, and thrilling,” and even called it one of the most meaningful films of the moment, all while still being a sweet, slightly offbeat father-daughter story.
That momentum hasn’t slowed at all. Before this, the movie already got Best Feature at the Gotham Awards and topped the New York Film Critics Circle list as their Best Film of 2025. One Battle After Another is an artsy, director-driven passion project that wins hearts, but not necessarily ticket sales.
Even so, the NBR hands the movie a fresh shot at glory. Awards in Hollywood attract new eyes, boost streaming bids, and keep a film alive long after it leaves theaters. For a movie that didn’t crush the box office but wowed the critics, this kind of momentum can breathe new life into the movie.
Last year, NBR crowned Wicked as its top choice. Its sequel, Wicked: For Good, didn’t receive any trophies this time. However, it still made the cut as one of the year’s standout films. This year’s winners came out of a pool of 265 movies, hand-picked by film nerds, industry pros, and up-and-coming creatives.
The celebration will take place on Jan. 13 at New York’s iconic Cipriani 42nd Street, with Willie Geist hosting the star-studded gala.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
