On the same weekend, two new movies that are strong contenders at the 2025Oscarshave become the first awards season offerings to pass a major box office milestone. While the Academy Awards in any given year include nominations from movies released throughout the previous year, awards season tends to heat up in Fall. The period between October and December typically features the highest concentration of buzzy movies vying for awards, as they stay fresh in the conversation as various awards bodies select their nominees.
Many of the year’s biggestBest Picture contendersat the Oscars have yet to premiere in theaters, as the roster of titles with the most buzz include the Adrien Brody historical dramaThe Brutalist, the belated Ridley Scott sequelGladiator II, and the Bob Dylan biopicA Complete Unknown. However,quite a few of them have already premiered in theaters in Fall 2024, including Sean Baker’s modern Cinderella storyAnora, Netflix’s musical offeringEmilia Pérez, and the Saoirse Ronan war dramaBlitz.
Conclave And We Live In Time Simultaneously Pass A Domestic Milestone
They The Highest-Grossing Fall Awards Contenders
TheConclavereleaseand theWe Live in Timerelease have both passed a major milestone at the domestic box office over the course of the same weekend.Conclavestars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal who uncovers major secrets during the politically charged period where the new Pope is being selected.We Live in Time, which premiered several weeks earlier, isa nonlinear romance starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.
Conclavedebuted in domestic theaters on October 25 whileWe Live in Timedebuted on October 11.
PerDeadline, as of Sunday morning,bothConclaveandWe Live in Timeare projected to pass the $20 million milestone at the domestic box officeby the end of the day. The former is projected to earn a 3-day total of $4.1 million, bringing its cumulative domestic total to $21.5 million, while the latter’s 3-day total of $2.2 million brings it to a cumulative $21.8 million. This simultaneously makes them the first awards season releases to pass the $20 million domestic milestone.
While they arethe first Oscars contenders to hit this threshold during awards season, a few other 2024 titles were released before October, have strong awards buzz, and have already passed the $20 million milestone, namelyChallengers($50.1 million),The Wild Robot($125.7 million), andDune: Part Two($282.1 million).
Our Take On The Conclave And We Live In Time Box Office
The Oscar-Buzzy Movies Are Making Waves
Conclavehas so far been more prominent in the awards conversation, given its Certified Fresh 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and the fact that it was helmed by Edward Berger, who previously directed2022’sAll Quiet on the Western Front, which was nominated for nineOscars, winning four. However,commercial success can sometimes draw the attention of the Academy, so the fact thatWe Live in Timeis performing on the same level as the celebrated Ralph Fiennes movie could mean that its Oscar prospects are getting much stronger.
Conclave
Cast
Cardinal Lawrence leads the secretive papal election at the Vatican, where he uncovers a conspiracy and a secret that could destabilize the Church’s foundation as leaders gather from around the world.
We Live in Time
A witty chef and a recent divorcee have a chance encounter that changes their lives. As their love story unfolds, they build a life together, but a hidden truth threatens to unravel their relationship, bringing humor, drama, and emotional depth to their journey.
