Timothée Chalamet’s Box Office Surge Rivals DiCaprio

Timothée Chalamet, a favourite among filmgoers, is on the cusp of overtaking one of his own heroes at the box office. His new release, Marty Supreme, has already raked in $70 million across Australia and the US, putting it just behind Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another, which wrapped up its run with $71 million. With Marty Supreme still showing, it’s tipped to surpass DiCaprio’s tally any day now. This close contest has locals chatting about whether Chalamet is now playing in the same league as the industry’s most respected blokes.

Here’s a quick look at how the two films stack up: Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, currently holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has pulled in $79.4 million so far. Meanwhile, One Battle After Another, helmed by Paul Thomas Anderson, boasts a 94% rating and a total box office haul of $206 million.

Chalamet’s Success Without the IMAX Advantage

As Marty Supreme edges closer to overtaking One Battle After Another in the US, it’s worth noting Chalamet has long looked up to DiCaprio. Back in 2022, he shared that DiCaprio once gave him some solid advice about steering clear of hard drugs and superhero flicks. The two worked together on Adam McKay’s 2021 comedy Don’t Look Up, which became a massive hit for Netflix and even scored an Oscar nomination.

Now, with Marty Supreme just a whisker away from beating One Battle After Another at the box office, Chalamet is set to outdo his idol—without the help of IMAX screenings. The film is showing in about 1,000 fewer cinemas across the US, making its performance even more impressive. This comes hot on the heels of Chalamet’s recent win over DiCaprio at the Golden Globes.

Promo Tour Sparks Mixed Reactions

While the numbers are boosting Chalamet’s reputation, his press run for Marty Supreme has copped a bit of flak. During one interview, he openly praised his own commitment and performances over the past several years. Some punters admired his confidence, but others reckon he came off as a bit full of himself. Comedian Chelsea Handler weighed in on a podcast, saying he’s a top actor but it’s a bit much to hear someone talk up their own skills so much.

[Chalamet] seemed pretty serious about winning and getting acknowledged for his great acting. He’s a great actor, but it’s hard to hear someone talk about how great they are at acting.

Handler and podcast host Amanda Hirsch even compared Chalamet to DiCaprio, calling Leo a “golden star” who wouldn’t talk about himself in the same way. They pointed out that even after years in the business and plenty of hits, DiCaprio never boasted about his own work.

Leo wouldn’t say that. Even though it took him so long to win, right? He didn’t win anything until that wrestling with the bear movie [The Revenant].

Leo wouldn’t do that. Leo is a movie star. He wouldn’t talk like that. That’s new. I haven’t heard any actor kind of talk like that.

Chalamet’s Comments Stir Debate

The interview that’s caused a stir was with Margaret Gardiner and has since been pulled from YouTube. In it, Chalamet claimed Marty Supreme is “probably” his best work and that he’s delivered “top-of-the-line performances” over the last “seven, eight years”.

This is probably my best performance, and it’s been like seven, eight years that I feel like I’ve been handing in really, really committed, top-of-the-line performances. And it’s important to say out loud because the discipline and the work ethic I’m bringing to these things, I don’t want people to take for granted. I don’t want to take for granted. This is really some top-level sh*t.

Unsurprisingly, these remarks have sparked a backlash, with many calling them a bit much. Handler and Hirsch’s comparison to DiCaprio has only fuelled the debate, as Chalamet looks set to overtake the Titanic star at the box office.

Marty Supreme is currently screening in cinemas, while One Battle After Another is available to stream on HBO Max.