Timothée Chalamet’s musical biopic of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown, opened to critical acclaim on December 25, and it seems that the praise from film pundits has, in fact, inspired audiences to see the offering in theaters – its box office The office collection reflects as much.
The film, directed by James Mangold and starring Elle Fanning, Edward Norton among others, has crossed US$52 million in North America at the time of writing. It became the 11th highest-grossing musical biopic of all time in the states, surpassing Amadeus and Funny Girl.
Amadeus grossed US$52 million in the United States and Canada throughout its run, while Funny Girl grossed approximately US$52.2 million. The former, a fictional account of the lives of the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, was released in 1984. Directed by Miloš Forman, it stars F. It starred Murray Abraham and Tom Hulse and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The latter, based on the life and career of comedian and Broadway star Fanny Brice, starred Barbra Streisand and debuted in 1968 under the direction of William Wyler.
A Complete Unknown chronicles Bob Dylan’s life from January 1961, when he moved from Minnesota to New York City, to July 1965, when he caused a stir by playing electric instruments at the Newport Folk Festival. The program was not a mainstream project for Chalamet, but an independent effort. His performance and the box office success of the film highlights his stellar fame in the industry.
The list of highest-grossing musical biopics of all time is topped by 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody, which chronicles the life of Freddie Mercury, the iconic lead singer of British rock band Queen.
