7 Highest-Grossing Christopher Nolan Movies Worldwide: The Dark Knight Rises, Oppenheimer, and more
Christopher Nolan needs no introduction! The American filmmaker is a brand in himself, and actors dream of being a part of his world. Best known for mind-bending sci-fi movies, Nolan’s contribution to cinema is incomparable. Over the years, the Hollywood star has directed ten movies and established himself as one of the top-grossing directors of all time, raking in more than USD 6 billion with his rich filmography. While he is making headlines for his next release, here’s shedding light on the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies worldwide.
7 Highest-Grossing Christopher Nolan Movies At The Worldwide Box Office
1. The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises marked the end of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which began with Batman Begins (2005) and was followed by The Dark Knight (2008). The superhero action movie was a big hit at the box office and became the highest-grossing Batman movie of all time. It’s been more than a decade now, and no new Batman movie has been able to dethrone it from the top position.
The movie, which was bankrolled by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros Pictures, stars Christian Bale in the titular role and Tom Hardy as the main antagonist, Bane. It grossed around USD 1.082 billion at the worldwide box office, five times its estimated budget, emerging as a big commercial success.
2. The Dark Knight
Considered among the greatest movies ever made, The Dark Knight is the second installment of Christopher Nolan’s popular trilogy. The Academy Award-winning superhero movie had Christian Bale in the titular role of Batman, but it was Heath Ledger whose portrayal of the Joker emerged as one of the most iconic pop-culture characters of all time.
The movie became the first DC production to smash the USD 1 billion mark worldwide. It went on to rake in a total sum of USD 1.007 billion and emerged as the highest-grossing Batman movie of its time. Later, its sequel, The Dark Knight Rises, surpassed it. Among the list of highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies, it currently rests at the second spot.
3. Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is the latest Christopher Nolan directorial movie. Released in 2023 alongside Barbie, it is the biographical drama of American physicist J.J. Oppenheimer. The movie emerged as a big money-spinner at the global box office. However, it fell slightly short of hitting the USD 1 billion mark. The movie collected USD 976 million, becoming the highest-grossing World War 2 movie at the worldwide box office, and ranks third among the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies.
Cillian Murphy played the titular role, and the movie also starred Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, and others in pivotal roles. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Picture.
4. Inception
It is one of Christopher Nolan’s most popular movies. The mind-bending sci-fi movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine, among others. Released in 2010, Inception was a big box office success as it grossed USD 825 million worldwide, becoming the fourth highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movie.
The movie was widely appreciated and celebrated by critics and the audience. It won four Academy Awards for its technical departments.
5. Interstellar
This epic science-fiction movie, set in a dystopian future, was written and directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine. Interstellar received a positive response and grossed around USD 646 million globally, securing fifth place among the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies.
The movie also won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, among numerous other accolades. Interstellar is considered one of the mind-bending movies that are difficult to understand in one go.
6. Dunkirk
Released in 2017, Dunkirk is a period war film set during World War II. The movie stars an ensemble cast that includes Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Cillian Murphy, and Tom Hardy, among others. It was a big hit at the box office, raking in a total revenue of USD 509 million against an estimated budget of USD 100 million.
The movie enjoyed both commercial and critical acclaim. It received several nominations at the Academy Awards, winning in three categories. Currently, it is sixth among the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies.
7. Tenet
Tenet was the first big tentpole movie released soon after the COVID-19 pandemic. It starred John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and others. Though the movie struggled to break even, it grossed a total revenue of around USD 359 million at the worldwide box office. Currently, it holds the seventh spot among the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan movies globally.
It also received polarizing reviews from the critics, making it one of the underwhelming films of Nolan’s career.
Following Is The List Of 7 Highest-Grossing Christopher Nolan Movies Of All Time:
Rank
Directors
WW Total Box Office
1
The Dark Knight Rises
USD 1.08 Billion
2
The Dark Knight
USD 1.00 Billion
3
Oppenheimer
USD 976 Million
4
Inception
USD 825.78 Million
5
Interstellar
USD 646 Million
6
Dunkirk
USD 509 Million
7
Tenet
USD 359 Million
Besides the above-mentioned titles, some other notable works of Christopher Nolan include Batman Begins, Insomnia, and The Prestige. If you loved reading this article, check out the list of highest-grossing directors of all time.
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Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our own research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.
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