Oppenheimer Just Scored a Box Office Milestone for Christopher Nolan

The Dark Knight Rises has now fallen. Christopher Nolan’s 2023 Oscar-winning Oppenheimer continues to blow up at the box office almost nine months after its original theatrical release in the United States. And overseas, Oppenheimer is bringing the talented filmmaker even more recognition, as the historical drama has officially become Nolan’s biggest moneymaker internationally with $640.1 million (per The Numbers).

According to Box Office Mojo,Oppenheimer’s international total is slightly lower at $638.4 million. However, in either case, Nolan’s latest big-screen blockbuster has passed The Dark Knight Rises’ overseas total of $634.1 million registered by The Numbers. It’s a closer race between TDKR and Oppenheimer when compared to Box Office Mojo’s figure of $637.1 million, but Nolan’s highest-grossing film internationally is now Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer

5/5

Release Date

July 21, 2023

Cast

Cillian Murphy , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Emily Blunt , Florence Pugh , Gary Oldman , Josh Hartnett , Jack Quaid , Kenneth Branagh , Rami Malek , Alex Wolff , Matthew Modine

Studio

Universal Pictures, Atlas Entertainment, Syncopy

When it comes to worldwide totals, though, Oppenheimer still trails Nolan’s biggest financial successes on the silver screen: The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Both sequels to Batman Begins eclipsed the billion-dollar mark at the box office, while Oppenheimer still sits below that threshold at $970 million (The Numbers) and $968.2 million (Box Office Mojo).

Barbie’s Box Office, Oppenheimer’s Oscars

Oppenheimer opened along with Barbie on July 21, 2023, and the two went on to merge into the wildly successful Barbenheimer phenomenon. At the box office, Barbie was the clear winner as Greta Gerwig’s bright-pink blockbuster became the highest-grossing film worldwide in 2023 with $1.44 billion. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer also significantly trails the Mattel doll’s big-screen adaptation in both the international and domestic markets.

While Oppenheimer is now Nolan’s highest-grossing achievement overseas, Barbie wipes the floor with the Oscar-winning film internationally: It’s not even close, regardless of which numbers are used. Gerwig’s film made $809.4 million (Box Office Mojo) and $797.2 million (The Numbers), while Oppenheimer’s best figure sits far behind at $640 million.

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However, Oppenheimer got the better of Barbie at the Academy Awards — handily at that. Nolan’s film was nominated in 13 categories and won seven golden statues. By comparison, Gerwig’s half of the Barbenheimer equation garnered eight nominations, but Barbie only walked away with one Oscar: Best Original Song for “What Was I Made For?”