Timothée Chalamet Edges Closer to DiCaprio’s Box Office Crown

Timothée Chalamet, often hailed as one of Hollywood’s most promising talents, appears poised to outpace his long-time inspiration at the box office. With Marty Supreme raking in $70 million across the United States, it now sits just a whisker behind Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another, which wrapped up its run with $71 million. The gap is narrowing by the day, and the prospect of Chalamet overtaking DiCaprio has set tongues wagging about the younger actor’s growing influence and whether he’s now rubbing shoulders with the industry’s most established names.

Box Office Showdown: Chalamet vs DiCaprio

As Marty Supreme continues to draw crowds, the numbers are telling. Chalamet’s film, directed by Josh Safdie, currently boasts a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has amassed $79.4 million so far. In comparison, DiCaprio’s collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another, holds a 94% rating and a total box office haul of $206 million. While the overall figures favour DiCaprio, the domestic race is where the real drama lies, with Chalamet’s latest effort on the verge of surpassing his idol’s recent performance.

What’s particularly striking is that Marty Supreme is achieving these numbers without the benefit of IMAX screenings and is showing in roughly 1,000 fewer cinemas nationwide. This feat is all the more impressive given the competitive landscape and the absence of the premium format boost that often inflates box office returns.

Idol Advice and a Full-Circle Moment

Chalamet has never hidden his admiration for DiCaprio. In a 2022 interview, he recounted the advice he received from the veteran actor: steer clear of hard drugs and superhero franchises. Their paths first crossed on the set of Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up, a Netflix hit that earned both critical acclaim and an Oscar nod. Now, with Marty Supreme on the cusp of overtaking One Battle After Another at the US box office, there’s a sense of poetic symmetry in Chalamet’s ascent.

Adding to the narrative, Chalamet recently bested DiCaprio at the Golden Globes, further fuelling the conversation about a generational shift in Hollywood’s leading men. The fact that he’s managed this without the IMAX advantage only sharpens the focus on his rising star power.

Press Tour Backlash and Comparisons

While the numbers are working in Chalamet’s favour, his promotional campaign for Marty Supreme has not been without controversy. During one interview, he openly praised his own commitment and performances over the past several years, a move that split opinion among fans. Some admired his confidence, while others found it bordering on arrogance.

Comedian Chelsea Handler weighed in during a podcast appearance, acknowledging Chalamet’s talent but questioning his need for public recognition. She remarked,

[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 went on to draw a direct comparison with DiCaprio, describing him as a “golden star” who would never speak so openly about his own abilities.

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].

Handler added,

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 Words Stir Debate

The interview at the centre of the row, now removed from YouTube, saw Chalamet declare Marty Supreme as “probably” his finest work, claiming he’s delivered “top-of-the-line performances” for the past seven or eight years. He insisted,

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 accusing Chalamet of being boastful. The comparison to DiCaprio, who is often seen as the epitome of understated professionalism, has only intensified the debate as Chalamet edges closer to eclipsing the Titanic star’s domestic box office record.

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