If “The Brutalist” wins the coveted best picture Oscar, it will be one of the longest films to ever do so, although its box-office take is lagging considerably behind many previous recipients. “Gone With the Wind,” which runs nearly four hours with intermission, is the longest winner and has grossed $402.4 million worldwide since its 1939 release, according to BoxOfficeMojo. By comparison, “The Brutalist” spans three hours and 35 minutes with a 15-minute intermission and has mustered $11.7 million in limited release as of this writing; that tally is expected to climb now that the film has received 10 Academy Award nominations.
It is not the only supersized movie vying for the top trophy: “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two” both exceed the 2½-hour mark, and while each has rung up more than $700 million in global ticket sales, neither ranks among the Top 10 grossing films with that lengthy running time or beyond.
Even last season’s “Oppenheimer,” which had a run time of three hours, fails to make the cut with a worldwide gross of $975.6 million. But weep not for Christopher Nolan: He won two Oscars for his film, including the best picture statuette.
