Nicole Kidman Achieves Major Box Office Milestone After 17 Years with ‘Babygirl’

Thanks to her latest film, Babygirl, Nicole Kidman has reached a significant box office achievement for the first time in nearly 20 years. The highly anticipated release featured Kidman portraying CEO Romy Mathis, who embarks on an affair with Samuel, played by Harris Dickinson. Released on December 25, 2024, Babygirl has received outstanding reviews, with critics like Alex Harrison from Screen Rant praising it as “fascinating to watch”and “calibrated exactly right to its time.”The film has already recouped its $20 million production budget, marking a notable success in its early weeks.

This film is a pivotal victory for Kidman, irrespective of its future earnings trajectory. Remarkably, this is the first time since her 2008 film Australia that Kidman has surpassed $20 million in domestic box office gross. Presently, Babygirl has accumulated approximately $21.7 million domestically, as reported by The Numbers. While she has been part of other successful franchises like the Aquaman films and Paddington (2014), none showcased her in a leading role, making this film’s success particularly significant for her career.

Implications of Babygirl’s Success for Nicole Kidman

A Potential Return to Leading Lady Status

Nicole Kidman’s illustrious career began in 1983 and has since garnered her multiple awards including five Academy Award nominations, with a win for her performance in The Hours (2002). She has also earned two Emmy Awards for Big Little Lies, six Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA. Despite her talent and critical acclaim, Kidman has taken on fewer prominent mainstream roles in recent years. While she has appeared in commercially successful films, the majority do not feature her in leading positions.

Title	Role	Leading Role?	Domestic Box Office	Global Box Office
Aquaman (2018)	Queen Atlanna	No	$335 million	$1.1 billion
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)	Queen Atlanna	No	$124 million	$434 million
Happy Feet (2006)	Norma Jean	No	$198 million	$385 million
The Golden Compass (2007)	Marisa Coulter	Yes	$70 million	$367 million
Batman Forever (1995)	Dr. Chase Meridian	No	$184 million	$337 million
Paddington (2015)	Millicent Clyde	No	$76 million	$250 million
Australia (2008)	Lady Sarah Ashley	Yes	$50 million	$215 million
Just Go With It (2011)	Devlin Adams	No	$103 million	$215 million
The Others (2001)	Grace Stewart	Yes	$97 million	$215 million
Panic Room (2002)	Unnamed Girlfriend	No	$95 million	$196 million

Among her ten highest-grossing titles, Kidman has only been a lead in three, indicating that a substantial portion of her box office success derives from other roles. Babygirl offers Kidman a chance to reaffirm her status as a leading lady, especially given its relatively unknown cast. This positions Kidman as a potential box office draw, provided the film achieves further success.

Assessing Babygirl’s Box Office Performance

Room for Growth

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in a close scene

The outlook for Babygirl remains uncertain regarding its ultimate success at the box office. Analysts estimate it will need to reach roughly $50 million to ensure profitability. While favorable critical reception could positively influence its trajectory, current audience feedback is less enthusiastic, reflected in its 48% on the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter. While critics have given it a better score of 77%, which indicates general favor, this disparity suggests a split reception between critics and viewers. Nevertheless, the film is performing reasonably well at the box office, benefiting from a limited marketing campaign and Kidman’s return to form.

For further insights and information, visit The Numbers.

Source: Screen Rant