Actor John Travolta’s worldwide fame began when he starred in two cultural paradigm-shifting films: Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. The star achieved a rare feat that few actors had done: staying at the top two spots at the domestic box office within eight months. However, now that record seems to be broken by Timothée Chalamet.
Timothée Chalamet’s starring roles in Wonka and the recent Dune: Part Two have made him a star like no other. The films were at the top spot in their opening weeks and only slightly slowed down with new releases. While Wonka grossed $218 million domestically in its lifetime run, Dune: Part Two currently stands at over $494 million and is only expected to earn more in the coming weeks due to less competition.
Timothée Chalamet’s Winning Streak At The Box Office
Actor Timothée Chalamet seems to be on a roll at the box office with his last two films being top grossers. The actor’s first release was the Christmas film Wonka, in which he played Willy Wonka, the character that appeared in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Directed by Paul King, the musical fantasy depicted the origin story of the iconic character.
The film was a surprise hit among audiences and critics, who praised Chalamet’s performance and the presentation of the film. Being one of the few films that rang in the Christmas season, Wonka became the first live-action musical after the COVID-19 pandemic to top the box office (via Deadline).
The film received a little bit of competition from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which released the subsequent week, and went down to the second spot. However, it reclaimed the top spot the next weekend after Aquaman received negative reviews. Timothée Chalamet next starred in Denis Villeneuve’s epic follow-up to 2021’s Dune: Part One.
Chalamet reprised his role as Paul Atreides in Dune: Part Two. The film was released on March 1 and has been dominating the box office, only to be slowed down by Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda 4. The film currently stands at the second spot, with the animated four-quel at the top. According to IndieWire, Dune: Part Two’s domestic gross has gone up to $205 million.
Timothée Chalamet Breaks Rare Box Office Record Set By John Travolta
While Timothée Chalamet becomes the Lisan al Gaib of the box office, he reportedly broke a rare feat that was last seen forty-four years ago in 1978. Chalamet became the first lead actor in over four decades to have two box office top twos within a span of eight months. This feat was last achieved by John Travolta in 1978 (via IndieWire).
Travolta gained worldwide fame and had his career breakthrough with the dual musical dramas Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Both films had best-selling soundtracks and also influenced pop culture in many ways. Travolta’s iconic strut from Saturday Night Fever has often been imitated and parodied while the songs of Grease have made it a legendary musical.
The first release of John Travolta’s breakthrough was Saturday Night Fever, which reportedly earned $237 million worldwide, combining its original and its 2020 and 2021 re-releases (via Box Office Mojo). The film topped the box office upon its initial release and reportedly earned $600,000 a day from January to March.
While Travolta’s Grease opened second at the box office as it released with Jaws 2 in 1978, it grew to the top spot in the second week. Grease became the highest-grossing musical, beating The Sound of Music, and earned $366 million globally (via Box Office Mojo). Now, Chalamet seems to have gained the same record set by Travolta with his two releases. Coincidentally, one of Chalamet’s films, which aided in breaking the record, is also a musical.
