Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is no longer the most successful movie biopic ever
It's been overtaken at the box office
Last updated 20th Sep 2023
Queen’s blockbuster film Bohemian Rhapsody has lost its title as the most successful movie biopic of all time.
Released in October 2018 to mixed reviews, Bohemian Rhapsody proved a colossal hit at cinemas amassing $910.8 million (£735 million) at the global box office from a budget of just $50 million (£40 million).
Bohemian Rhapsody focussed on Freddie Mercury and Queen from their inception through to their legendary Live Aid performance in 1986.
The Christopher Nolan directed epic Oppenheimer, which was released in July, has now overtaken Bohemian Rhapsody at the box office with an impressive worldwide tally of $912.7 million (£736 million).
Oppenheimer tells the story of the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ J. Robert Oppenheimer and it stars Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy in the lead role.
Other actors in Christopher Nolan’s critically lauded film include Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss and Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock.
As well as being the most successful movie biopic ever, Oppenheimer is also the highest grossing World War Two film of all time.
It’s the third biggest film of 2023 behind the all-conquering Barbie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
As well as being a hit, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody scooped numerous awards including four Oscars (Best Actor for Rami Malek, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing), two BAFTAs (Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Sound) and two Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama).
Brian May stated in June that he would still like to make a Bohemian Rhapsody sequel, however he conceded it was unlikely.
“We'd love it — we'd love to make a sequel. It's finding the right script. It actually took us 12 years to find the right script for the first one, so I guess it's no surprise that it's not easy,” Brian explained.
“There is a story there — an awful lot happened (in Queen’s career) after the end of the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' movie script, if you like, story — but whether it would make a film, I don't know.
“We don't wanna put it out there or make it unless we're sure that it's gonna work and it's gonna move people in the same way as the original film did. The short answer is we'd love to, and we haven't found a way of doing it yet."
You can hear songs by Queen on Magic.
Take a look through films released in 2023:
Magic Mike's Last Dance
Release date: 10th February
Magic Mike returned in 2023! The latest movie saw Channing Tatum reprise his role of, well, Magic Mike, alongside Salma Hayek. Magic Mike's Last Dance followed on from 2015's Magic Mike XXL, and was the third film in the franchise.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release date: 17th February
Originally set for a 2022 release, the newest Ant-Man film was pushed back to 2023, and officially graced us in February! The action-packed Marvel Studios film welcomed back Paul Rudd in his famous role of Ant-Man in the Marvel Universe.
Scream VI
Release date: 10th March
A new Scream film was also released in 2023. Scream VI stars Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega and Hayden Panettiere - and Courteney Cox reprised her role as Gale Weathers.
The Pope's Exorcist
Release date: 7th April
This supernatural horror follows Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, as he investigates a young boy's terrifying possession. Inspired by Gabriele Amorth's actual files, the plot follows the exorcist - played by none other than Russell Crowe, we might add - as he uncovers a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has kept hidden.
Peter Pan and Wendy
Release date: 28th April
Disney excited us all when they revealed some brand new titles coming in 2023, including a new Peter Pan film! The movie landed on Disney+ in April, and saw Jude Law take on the infamous role of Captain Hook.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release date: 3rd May
Another Marvel film to add to the collection, Guardians of the Galaxy returned for its third volume, as the gang rallied to defend the universe - and one of their own. Chris Pratt yet again starred in the film, alongside co-stars such as Dave Bautista and Will Poulter.
The Little Mermaid live-action remake
Release date: 26th May
Disney's highly-anticipated live-action remake of The Little Mermaid swam into cinemas in May 2023, starring Halle Bailey as the famous Ariel. Other stars featuring in the film include Melissa McCarthy, as Ursula, Daveed Diggs, as Sebastian, and Awkwafina, as Scuttle.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Release date: 28th June
Indiana Jones returned! Yep, Harrison Ford reprised his role as Indy in the fifth film of the franchise, following on from following Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which was released way back in 2008!
With an original release date of 30th June, the UK and Ireland luckily saw the film released two days prior.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One
Release date: 14th July
Tom Cruise returned as Ethan Hunt in the latest instalment in his Mission Impossible franchise. The film is action-packed, with Tom sharing details of 'greatest stunt in cinema history' in some behind-the-scenes clips!
Barbie
Release date: 21st July
The highly-anticipated Barbie film hit cinemas in July 2023, starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and plenty of other huge names, such as Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Michael Cera and Sex Education's Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa.
Oppenheimer
Release date: 21st July
The Christopher Nolan movie chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who was pivotal in developing the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. The film had a huge cast including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Florence Pugh to name a few. Released on the same day as the Barbie movie, so was born the 'Barbenheimer' meme.
Haunted Mansion
Release date: 11th August
The much-loved film made its return in 2023, with Disney releasing a brand new version of their classic movie Haunted Mansion. Starring the likes of Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield, Dan Levy and Jared Leto, this re-vamp was seemingly scarier than the original, with the certificate being handed a 12A for moderate horror - a jump up from the original's PG certificate.
The Exorcist: Believer
Release date: 6th October
Marking 50-years since the release of the original film The Exorcist, a new chapter began in the form of The Exorcist: Believer. The film saw Ellen Burstyn reprises her iconic role as Chris MacNeil, for the first time since 1973. Not only that, but the reboot is part of a trilogy, with the follow-up film The Exorcist: Deceiver having a release date of 18th April 2025.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Release date: 17th November
Following the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, and Mockingjay Part 2, the latest Hunger Games film was released in mid-November 2023. The fifth instalment in The Hunger Games film series, the 2023 movie is a dystopian film based on the prequel of the same name.
WONKA
Release date: 15th December
The highly-anticipated WONKA film was FINALLY with us in December 2023. The film, starring Timothée Chalamet as the master chocolatier, details the years before Wonka opened his world-renowned chocolate factory, exploring his journey to becoming an illustrious candymaker. With a totally star-studded cast, it's a staple in the 2023 film catalogue.
Ghostbusters (untitled sequel)
Release date: 20th December
A sequel to the epic 2020 film Ghostbusters: Afterlife closed the year off, with the movie being a follow-on from the iconic original film. The potential for the sequel was teased in the end credits of Afterlife, when it was revealed the next instalment will be set in the iconic firehouse in New York City. Nostalgic!
Now read:
A sequel to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody could be on the way
Queen: The band who gave us 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and many more hits
Queen: A celebration of the legendary band in pictures