Oscars 2015: How are best picture nominees faring at the box office?
- Share via
With the Oscars less than a month away, here’s a look at how the best picture nominations are doing at the domestic box office.
“American Sniper”
The war drama is setting box office records, pulling in an estimated $200.1 million in the U.S. and Canada since its limited release on Christmas Day.
Clint Eastwood’s film, which cost Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow about $58 million to make, is adapted from the Chris Kyle autobiography of the same name. It follows the story of Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Navy SEAL known as the most lethal sniper in American history.
“Birdman”
The Fox Searchlight film added 362 theaters (to 833 total) and upped its weekend ticket sales 24% from last weekend. It pulled in $1.9 million in its 15th weekend in release, raising its total domestic gross to $30.9 million. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s film follows Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), a washed-up actor hoping to make a comeback in theater.
“Boyhood”
Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age film, first released in July, added an estimated $197,000 this weekend. Its total gross is $24.9 million. The film, which co-stars Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, is available on home video.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Wes Anderson’s film has had a strong box office run since its March release. In its first week, it brought in $800,000 from four theaters for a per-screen average of $200,000. After the Oscar nominations, Fox Searchlight re-opened the film in select theaters.
To date, it has made about $59.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, the highest total for any Anderson film. More recent box office figures, reflecting the limited re-opening, were not immediately available.
“The Imitation Game”
The World War II drama, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the genius mathematician Alan Turing, came in sixth this weekend with $7.1 million. With the addition of 414 theaters (to a total of more than 2,000 theaters), the Weinstein Co. film was up 5% from last weekend’s box office total. To date, it has made $60.6 million.
“Selma”
The film, released by Paramount Pictures, came in at eight place this weekend with $5.5 million, raising its total haul to about $39.2 million.
The Ava DuVernay-directed drama follows the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) in 1965 as he organizes and leads a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.
“The Theory of Everything”
The Focus Features film was up 34% at the box office this weekend after adding 349 locations (to 858 total). To date, it’s made about $29.1 million in the U.S. and Canada.
The film is based on Jane Hawking’s memoir, “Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen.” It stars Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and Felicity Jones as Hawking’s wife, Jane.
“Whiplash”
Sony Classics’ film was up a whopping 116% this weekend after expanding to 378 more theaters (567 in all).
The film has made about $7.6 million in the U.S. and Canada. It follows a domineering teacher (J.K. Simmons) as he drives aspiring jazz drummer (Miles Teller) to the edge of sanity.
Haven’t seen the nominated films? Here’s a rundown of where you can see the contenders on the big screen before the Feb. 22 Academy Awards.
For more news on the entertainment industry, follow me @saba_h
More to Read
From the Oscars to the Emmys.
Get the Envelope newsletter for exclusive awards season coverage, behind-the-scenes stories from the Envelope podcast and columnist Glenn Whipp’s must-read analysis.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.