The Big Picture
- Oppenheimer surpasses Christopher Nolan's past overseas hits, grossing $640 million internationally.
- The film has made nearly $970 million globally, being Nolan's third-biggest hit.
- The movie garnered critical success and awards accolades while crossing the $1 billion mark at the box office.
Just when you thought that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had concluded the first chapter in its epic narrative, having delivered major box office numbers and won several Oscars, the movie pulled out one final card from under its sleeve. This weekend, thanks to a surprisingly successful run in Japan, the epic biographical thriller became Nolan’s biggest-ever release in overseas markets, ahead of contemporary classics such as Inception and The Dark Knight.
Oppenheimer added $1.6 million in its second weekend in Japan, where it has so far accumulated $5.5 million. This took the film’s overseas total to $640 million, overtaking The Dark Knight Rises’ $634 million lifetime haul from more than a decade ago. Oppenheimer has made nearly $330 million domestically, for a cumulative global haul of $970 million. It remains Nolan’s third-biggest hit on the worldwide stage, behind his second and third Batman films — The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises — both of which have grossed over $1 billion each.
Nolan's Biggest Films Outside North America | Overseas Box Office |
|---|---|
Oppenheimer (2023) | $640 million |
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) | $634 million |
Inception (2010) | $542 million |
The Dark Knight (2008) | $465 million |
Despite inflation playing a key role, it’s remarkable to consider that Oppenheimer — a dense, three-hour epic about the creation of the world’s first atomic bombs — has out-grossed two of the most popular Batman films in history outside North America. Nolan admitted last year that the film’s box office performance far exceeded what he, or his collaborators at Universal, had anticipated. Oppenheimer famously debuted alongside Greta Gerwig’s Barbie in what came to be known as the “Barbenheimer” event — a hotly anticipated double-bill that eventually delivered over $2.5 billion globally.
'Oppenheimer' Will One Day Pass the $1 Billion Mark Worldwide
CloseOppenheimer was particularly successful on Premium Large-Format and IMAX screens, and has generated nearly $200 million in the latter format, a favorite of Nolan’s. Starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer — widely known as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb” — the movie grossed over $950 million in its initial run, but kept ticking along thanks to subsequent re-releases in a bid to get it over the coveted $1 billion mark. That didn’t happen, despite the Oscars attention and the delayed release in Japan, a country where the film’s historical subject matter remains an understandably sensitive topic.
The movie earned Nolan his first Best Director Oscar, in addition to winning the Best Picture honor at this year’s ceremony. Murphy and his co-star, Robert Downey Jr. also won acting awards, while composer Ludwig Göransson, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and editor Jennifer Lame won Oscars in their respective categories. It’s inevitable that Oppenheimer will one day pass the $1 billion mark globally, but for now, Nolan and his crew can rest on their laurels. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Oppenheimer
10The story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
Release Date July 21, 2023 Director Christopher Nolan Cast Cillian Murphy , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Emily Blunt , Alden Ehrenreich , Scott Grimes , Jason Clarke , Tony GoldwynncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kvLG8xKefnqGdmr9urs6xZKielp6wpnnSrpqcnaOoerDCxKuqnpmjZA%3D%3D