3 of the Highest Grossing Biopics of All Time

Biopics are the name of the game these days. Countless films are being made in musicians’ honor, but only a fair few of them rise to the top in the box office. Check out three of the highest grossing biopics of all time, below.

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3 of the Highest Grossing Biopics of All Time

1. Straight Outta Compton (2015)

$201.6 million

Straight Outta Compton was a family affair. The story centers around N.W.A, an iconic hip-hop group that revolutionized the west coast rap scene. Ice Cube’s son plays the titular character, bringing the whole story full circle. Virtually the only biopic of its kind, Straight Outta Compton made over 200 million at the box office.

So when I’m in your neighborhood, you better duck
‘Cause Ice Cube is crazy as f**k
As I leave, believe I’m stompin’
But when I come back, boy, I’m comin’ straight outta Compton

Yo, Ren
Whassup?
Tell ’em where you from!

2. Elvis (2022)

$288.7 million

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was a cultural phenomenon. He brought Presley into modernity with the help of his auteur’s vision. The highly stylized film breathed new life into the story of Elvis. Of course, Austin Butler’s impressive performance as the iconic musician, didn’t hurt this film’s success either. In the end, the film grossed over 200 million dollars. Not a bad run at the box office for The King.

We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Why can’t you see
What you’re doing to me
When you don’t believe a word I say?

[RELATED: 5 Songs That Name-Drop or Reference Elvis Presley, Describing Elvis’ Influence for Better or Worse]

3. Bohemian Rhapsody (2019)

$910.8 million

At the top of our list, we have Bohemian Rhapsody, a.k.a the life and times of Queen. In many ways this film was the inciting incident behind the recent string of musical biopics that we’ve seen as of late. This film was a coup in the box office, earning over 900 million worldwide. It also advanced the career of Rami Malek, who earned an Oscar for his role as Freddie Mercury. Moreover, the back 15 minutes of this movie were a technical feat for the decade.

Mama, just killed a man
Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he’s dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away
Mama, ooh, didn’t mean to make you cry
If I’m not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters

(Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage)