Reaching the top of the charts to become the highest grossing film of any given week is a huge accomplishment for any theatrical release but just because a film doesn’t hit number one doesn’t mean it can’t be a massive financial and critical success. Great movies are often overshadowed by blockbuster films like Star Wars, Transformers, or even the Fast & Furious franchise. Here are 15 highly profitable films that didn’t quite make it to the top of the box office charts.
15. Chicago (2002) – $170,687,518
Released in December of 2002, this musical crime-drama based on the stage musical of the same name starred Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, and Renée Zellweger in the lead roles. The film explored themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in 1920’s Chicago and was a huge critical and financial success for Miramax.
Chicago earned over $170 million at the box office and although the film continued to stay at the top of the charts for months after its release it never hit the pinnacle. The film’s box office earning were succeeded by the likes of the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and Daredevil during the later stages of the film’s theatrical release. Still, not bad at all for a film adaptation of a hit musical.
Via Rotten Tomatoes