When you think about it, it’s a challenge to have a box office hit for a biopic or a movie that is “based on a true story.” Many viewers will already know how the film will end before even watching. However, there’s something appealing about seeing a film that’s centered on facts and that appeal is evident in the following biopics which are among the highest-grossing biopics of all time.
According to
The Richest and
flickchart these are the biopics that have pulled in the most money at the box office:
“The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013)
$389,570,000
This film is about rise of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who got rich on Wall Street through corruption and fraud.
“Catch Me If You Can” (2002)
$352,114,312
This biopic depicts the life of con man and impostor Frank Abagnale, Jr. It was the 11th highest grossing film of 2002.
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“Schindler’s List” (1993)
$321,306,305
This World War II epic about a German factory owner who tried to protect Jews from the Nazis is not only one of the top grossing biopics, it also is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
“A Beautiful Mind” (2001)
$313,542,341
This successful, award-winning biopic focused on brilliant Princeton mathematician John Nash, who battled paranoid schizophrenia while making strides in such fields as governing dynamics.
“The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006)
$307,077,300
Rounding out the top five biopics, this film depicts the hurdles faced by single father and business entrepreneur Chris Gardner in his attempt to provide a decent life for himself and his young son while homeless.
“American Gangster” (2007)
$266,465,037
Set in 1970s New York City, this film centers on the rise to power of Frank Lucas, one of the first major African-American gangsters who revolutionized the distribution of heroin in the drug trade.
“Erin Brockovich” (2000)
$256,271,286
This drama portrayed the crusade of Erin Brockovich, who helped organize a major class-action lawsuit against an energy corporation whose poor waste-handling practices likely tainted the water supply of the small Californian town of Hinkley and caused many people to become ill. It netted $126.6 million in North America and $130.7 million in other countries.
“The Social Network” (2010)
$224,920,315
One of the biggest films of 2010, “The Social Network” depicted the formative years of social media giant Facebook, following founders Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin from their days at Harvard to the dissolution of their business partnership.
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“Captain Phillips” (2013)
$217,800,897
This film depicts the 2009 incident where the merchant vessel Maersk Alabama was captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, and the daring rescue executed by the United States Navy. The thriller earned over $106 million domestically and more than twice that worldwide.
“Public Enemies” (2009)
$214,104,620
This biopic depicts the rise and sudden fall of a bank robber John Dillinger. It grossed $97.1 million domestically and made more than double that worldwide.
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