“One Battle After Another” sold an estimated $22.4 million in tickets in North America from Thursday afternoon through Sunday, a solid result for an original, R-rated, genre-jumping film with a nearly three-hour running time.

If only it didn’t cost so much to make.

From an artistic standpoint, “One Battle After Another” — directed, written and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson — is an unqualified triumph. Critics called it “brilliantly directed” and “an absolute masterpiece.” Hollywood is awash in chatter about Oscar attention, partly because the film is political, a type of primal scream about authoritarianism and citizen resistance.

“It’s an interesting film on many levels — a bold creative vision and a gutsy risk,” David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes an influential newsletter on box office numbers, said in an email.

The risk comes mostly from the price. Mr. Anderson’s past films have cost $20 million to $40 million, not including marketing. “One Battle After Another,” which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a broken-down revolutionary, cost Warner Bros. at least $130 million to make. (Some competing studios put the budget much higher.) Marketing costs easily added $70 million.

Mr. DiCaprio’s representatives typically demand that studios give him a cut of ticket sales. Oscar campaigns can cost $20 million or more, according to film awards strategists.

As a result, for Warner Bros. to make money, “One Battle After Another” will need to attract substantial crowds in the weeks ahead. The audience over the weekend was 65 percent male, according to box office analysts, suggesting that there was room for the film to broaden its reach among women, in particular. “One Battle After Another” features powerhouse performances from actresses like Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Regina Hall.