A Complete Unknown Box Office Achieves Milestone, Sets Record for Star Timothée Chalamet

A Complete Unknown Sets New Milestone for Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet’s latest film, A Complete Unknown, has achieved a significant milestone at the box office, marking a new record for the acclaimed actor. This music biopic, directed by James Mangold, who is well-known for his work on Walk the Line, features Chalamet portraying the legendary folk artist Bob Dylan. Alongside him, the film boasts a star-studded cast, including Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie.

Having debuted in theaters on Christmas Day 2024, A Complete Unknown quickly emerged as one of the top performers of the holiday weekend, becoming the second highest-grossing release after Nosferatu.

The Box Office Performance of A Complete Unknown

According to Deadline, the film is poised to reach a three-day total of $5 million as it concludes its third weekend in domestic theaters. This figure places it at No. 7 on the domestic box office chart for the weekend and increases its total gross to an impressive $50.8 million. Remarkably, this achievement marks the inaugural time a non-blockbuster film led by Timothée Chalamet has crossed the $50 million mark. Previously, Chalamet’s films such as Dune, Dune: Part Two, and Wonka surpassed this threshold but were categorized as blockbuster hits.

Chalamet’s extensive filmography also includes notable supporting roles in successful projects like Interstellar, Little Women, and Lady Bird, all of which grossed over $50 million. A Complete Unknown is now recognized as the 13th music biopic ever to achieve over $50 million at the domestic box office. Although it has not yet debuted in international markets, its domestic performance remains commendable.

Chalamet’s Rising Star Power

Exceeding Previous Records

The film’s success has allowed Chalamet to surpass the previous benchmark set by his breakout role in Call Me By Your Name, which generated $43.1 million. Below is a summary of Chalamet’s earlier non-blockbuster films that grossed over $1 million:

Title	Worldwide Gross
A Complete Unknown (2024)	$50.8 million (and counting)
Call Me By Your Name (2017)	$43.1 million
A Rainy Day in New York (2019)	$23.8 million
Beautiful Boy (2018)	$16.6 million
Bones and All (2022)	$15.3 million

This data reinforces that Timothée Chalamet’s non-franchise films can thrive within the competitive theatrical landscape. Given his rising popularity, this could bode well for his next venture, Marty Supreme, an A24 production directed by Josh Safdie. Notably, with a reported budget of $70 million, it represents A24’s most financially ambitious project to date, meaning it will need to exceed the performance of A Complete Unknown to become financially viable.

Implications of This Milestone

Future Prospects for A Complete Unknown

Despite this notable accomplishment, A Complete Unknown still faces challenges. The film’s budget is estimated to range between $50 million and $70 million, indicating that it needs to surpass $125 million in total revenue to break even. At its current pace, projections suggest it may fall short of this critical benchmark. However, the film’s recognition as a contender in the awards season, with several nominations expected for Chalamet, could significantly increase its visibility and potential profitability by enhancing the overall profile of those involved.

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Source: Deadline

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