Timothée Chalamet equals incredible box office record from 1970s

Thanks to the success of Wonka and Dune: Part Two, Timothée Chalamet has matched a box office record that’s stood for more than 45 years.

Timothée Chalamet is fast turning into one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Aside from a brief turn in Interstellar, the heartthrob largely made his name in indie fare.

Call Me By Your Name thrust Chalamet into the limelight in 2017, which was followed by star turns in the acclaimed likes of Lady Bird, Beautiful Boy, and Little Women.

Then Dune came along, in which he headlined one of the biggest blockbusters of 2021. And now — just three years later — the young actor is making box office history.

Timothée Chalamet equals incredible box office record from 1970s

Timothée Chalamet has top-lined the two most successful films of the last eight months via Wonka and Dune: Part Two. That’s the first time an actor has achieved such a feat since John Travolta in the 1970s.

In December 1977, Saturday Night Fever hit for Travolta, and quickly became a global phenomenon thanks to the power of disco, as well as the actor’s amazing dance moves. Then just six months later, Travolta was starring in Grease, a 1950s throwback that proved to be an even bigger hit, and quickly became the most successful musical of all time.

John Travolta was everywhere, starring in the two biggest movies of that period, which also spawned the two bestselling albums of 1978, a unique feat that’s never been bettered.

But as of this week, Timothée Chalamet has achieved that same celluloid success, through another musical, as well as a sci-fi flick. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel Wonka released in December 2023, and the all-singing, all-dancing crowd-pleaser stuck around in cinemas for months, ultimately grossing $628 million from a $125 million budget.

Then Dune: Part Two arrived at the start of this month, opened to huge numbers, and has already out-grossed its predecessors on its way to a potential $1 billion globally. Those twin releases turned Timothée Chalamet into one of the most bankable stars on the planet. And made him heir apparent to the 1970s’ biggest star.

Head here for our list of the 10 best Timothée Chalamet movies.