Could Oppenheimer pass $1 billion at the box office?

❘ Published: 2023-09-04T15:05:00

Universal Pictures

Oppenheimer was released in China last week, and that additional box office bounce means Christopher Nolan’s movie is another step closer to crossing the $1 billion at the global box office.

Oppenheimer has been packing them in since hitting US and UK screens on July 21, 2023. Exceeding all financial expectations for a period piece that clocks in at more than three hours, and features multiple black-and-white sequences.

Buoyed by the Barbenhemier phenomenon, Oppenheimer is now Christopher Nolan’s third most successful film, trailing only dynamic duo The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

And thanks to the film’s release in China, it’s edging ever closer to $1 billion at the global box office.

Could Oppenheimer pass $1 billion at the box office?

UPDATE: As of today – September 4, 2023 – Oppenheimer has grossed $853 million globally. The recent jump in that total is largely down to Oppenheimer being released on 35,000 screens at 11,000 locations in China, including 761 Imax venues. Where it grossed more than $30 million during its first five days on release.

Original story follows: Universal will definitely be hoping that Oppenheimer is in the Oscar race. Best Picture could be on the cards, as well as Best Director. While Cillian Murphy will doubtless be up for Best Actor, alongside Robert Downey Jr. in the Best Supporting Actor category.

To make that play, the studio will need to re-promote the movie during awards season, so don’t be surprised to see Oppenheimer being rereleased towards the end of the year. Which will bump up its 2023 total.

Some territories are also yet to release the film, while we still don’t know what’s happening with Japan. But new countries mean new audiences to pump that number up.

Oppenheimer now Christopher Nolan’s third highest grossing film

Oppenheimer is also zooming up the list of Christopher Nolan’s highest grossing films, with the movie currently sitting in third place…

10. The Prestige – $104 million
9. Insomnia – $114 million
8. Batman Begins – $357 million
7. Tenet – $360 million
6. Dunkirk – $512 million
5. Interstellar – $648 million
4. Inception – $729 million
3. Oppenheimer – $853 million (as of September 4, 2023)
2. The Dark Knight – $999 million
1. The Dark Knight Rises – $1.1 billion

Oppenheimer is in cinemas now, and you can find more coverage below: