JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
7 Highest-Grossing Music Biopics Worldwide: Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman and more
Music biopics are comparatively less explored than other genres. However, they have left incredible mark at box office. Here’s a list of highest-grossing music biopics worldwide.
So far, the history of cinema has witnessed several biographical dramas released on big screens. However, as far as music biopics are concerned, it is a genre that has remained a steady constant. Such movies require more effort from the makers as reviving musical legends by letting any movie star play any particular personality on screen must resonate with the audience. Additionally, achieving box office success in these cases depends not only on the direction but also on a certain amount of luck. Here's a list of the 7 highest-grossing music biopics worldwide.
7 Highest-Grossing Music Biopics At The Worldwide Box Office
1. Bohemian Rhapsody
Despite mixed reviews, the Bryan Singer directorial performed beyond expectations at the box office by creating a record of emerging as the highest-grossing music biopic globally. The film's total collection, which amounts to USD 879 million, is larger than the sum of the next four films on the list. Bohemian Rhapsody emerged as a box office unicorn against a midsize budget of roughly $55 million. The biopic of the British rock band Queen and frontman Freddie Mercury showed surprising legs overseas.
2. Elvis
As the name suggests, Elvis is a biographical drama film based on the life of American singer and actor Elvis Presley. Although it stands second among the highest-earning music biopics globally, its box office numbers are far behind that of Bohemian Rhapsody. Released in 2022, the Baz Luhrmann-directed movie grossed USD 288 million and also boasts eight nominations at the 95th Academy Awards. It performed well in the English language territories as well as overseas.
3. Straight Outta Compton
Among the highest-grossing music biopics worldwide, Straight Outta Compton is the first musical biographical drama film to inaugurate the USD 200 million club. It tells the story of the hip-hop group N.W.A and features Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. as founding members Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube, respectively. The F. Gary Gray-helmed film smashed USD 202 million globally and is the third highest-earning musical biopic.
4. Rocketman
Based on the life journey of British musician Elton John, 2019's Rocketman is one of the impressive music biopics created for cinema lovers. The Dexter Fletcher directorial faced a major clash at the box office against two biggies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Disney's Aladdin. Despite the cutthroat competition, Rocketman successfully maintained its reputation by minting USD 190 million. As per the available data, the biographical musical drama was financially successful both in domestic and international markets. It stars Taron Egerton as Elton John, and the actor did complete justice to his role.
5. Walk the Line
Directed by James Mangold, Walk The Line was released in 2005 and chronicles the life of singer and songwriter Johnny Cash. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, while Reese Witherspoon plays his wife. Walk The Line is one of the best critically received films, which took the box office by storm by collecting USD 187 million globally. Joaquin Phoenix received his first nomination for Best Actor, and Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress for her performance as June Carter. The movie was based on two Cash autobiographies, 1975’s Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words and 1997’s Cash: The Autobiography.
6. Bob Marley: One Love
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Bob Marley: One Love is the sixth highest-grossing music biopic worldwide. The Kingsley Ben-Adir starrer details the rise, power, and popularity of the reggae superstar and received an overwhelming response at the box office. During its theatrical run, the biographical drama earned USD 176 million and garnered a lukewarm critical reception. Bob Marley: One Love performed better in the domestic market than in the international market.
7. Ray
If there's a film wherein the makers successfully mastered the art of casting an actor nailing the character of a historical figure, then it's surely Ray. Following the journey of legendary musician Ray Charles, this musical biographical drama film was released in 2004. According to the available data, the Jamie Foxx starrer is the first film to cross the USD 100 million mark by minting USD 124 million at the worldwide box office. Its big win at the 77th Academy Awards adds more significance to Ray's success.
Following Is The List Of Highest-Grossing Video Game Movies Worldwide:
| Rank | Movies | WW Gross Box Office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bohemian Rhapsody | USD 879 Million |
| 2 | Elvis | USD 288 Million |
| 3 | Straight Outta Compton | USD 202 Million |
| 4 | Rocketman | USD 190 Million |
| 5 | Walk the Line | USD 187 Million |
| 6 | Bob Marley: One Love | USD 176 Million |
| 7 | Ray | USD 124 Million |
Besides these movies, some of the other top-earning music biopics at the worldwide box office are Jersey Boys, All Eyez on Me, Back to Black, and many others. Pinkvilla also curated a list of highest-grossing movies of the 1980s and highest earning Tom Hanks movies globally.
Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.
ALSO READ: 7 Highest-Grossing Video Game Movies Worldwide; The Super Mario Bros Movie tops list
Latest Articles
