‘A Complete Unknown’ keeps on rolling – hits new box office milestone

nme.com:

Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as the music legend, has passed the $100million mark at the worldwide box office.Variety reported that the film has grossed $70million in North America, and $30million internationally for a worldwide total of $100 million.

It’s a big win for studio Searchlight Pictures, with the film expected to surpass 2006’s Sideways to enter the company’s top five grossing films ever.Directed by James Mangold, A Complete Unknown covers the period from Dylan’s early success in the folk scene, to the infamous 1965 Newport Folk Festival where he scandalised his peers and the audience by using electric instruments.The film opened on Christmas Day in the US and January 17 in the UK.

In NME’s four-star review, critic Alex Flood described Chalamet’s performance as “a career-best showing”, adding: “If you’re already a fan, the next few weeks will be spent making playlists of lesser-known B-sides or reading the lore around a scene you weren’t familiar with”.The outlet estimates the film cost $60-70million to produce, meaning that after cinemas take their cut it is only likely to go into profit after it arrives on home video.

Nevertheless, for an awards season drama the total is a great achievement.This financial success is also matched with awards circuit glory.