The 97th Academy Awards is gearing up to showcase an exciting list of nominees across 23 categories, with the highly anticipated Best Picture category sparking a significant amount of buzz.
This year, however, the competition for the coveted Oscar is notably different, as many of the contenders have not performed as well at the box office compared to last year’s heavyweights, Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Both of those films grossed over $1 billion worldwide in 2024, making them clear frontrunners. This year, the biggest box office hits vying for Best Picture are Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two and Jon M. Chu’s Wicked, both of which have grossed around $710 million globally.
Here’s a look at how the top 10 Oscar nominees for Best Picture fared at the ticket window:
Anora – 6 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $15 million
Worldwide: $32 million
Anora has received critical acclaim with six Oscar nominations but has struggled at the box office, grossing only $15 million domestically and $32 million worldwide.
The Brutalist – 10 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $6 million
Despite earning 10 nominations, The Brutalist has faced a lackluster performance at the box office, grossing only $6 million domestically.
A Complete Unknown – 8 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $59 million
Worldwide: $61 million
A Complete Unknown has done better commercially, with a respectable $59 million at the domestic box office and $61 million worldwide.
Conclave – 8 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $32 million
Worldwide: $76 million
With 8 nominations to its name, Conclave has performed moderately well, earning $32 million domestically and $76 million worldwide.
Dune: Part Two – 5 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $283 million
Worldwide: $715 million
The Dune sequel, starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, has performed much better at the global box office, grossing $283 million domestically and a staggering $715 million worldwide. While still not on the scale of last year’s blockbusters, it remains one of the highest-grossing films among the nominees.
Emilia Perez – 13 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $15.4 million
Worldwide: $30.7 million
Emilia Perez received an impressive 13 nominations, but its box office numbers remain modest, with $15 million domestically and a total of around $30 million worldwide.
I’m Still Here – 3 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $162,000
I’m Still Here is one of the lowest-grossing films in contention, earning just $162,000 domestically. Despite the poor ticket sales, it managed to earn three Oscar nominations.
Nickel Boys – 2 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $1.1 million
With just two Oscar nominations, Nickel Boys has had a disappointing box office performance, pulling in just $1.1 million in the domestic market.
The Substance – 5 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $17 million
Worldwide: $45 million
The Substance has garnered five nominations but has only made a modest $17 million in domestic earnings and $45 million worldwide.
Wicked – 10 Oscar Nominations
Domestic: $466 million
Worldwide: $710 million
Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, Wicked has performed well at the box office, earning $466 million domestically and $710 million globally. While still not matching the global mega-hits of last year, Wicked stands as one of the stronger contenders in terms of box office returns.
While the box office performances of many of the Best Picture nominees have been mixed, the list demonstrates that the Academy is prioritising quality over commercial success. Films like Dune: Part Two and Wicked have proven to be major hits, while others like I’m Still Here and Nickel Boys have not found the same level of commercial success, yet they have still earned recognition from the Academy.
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