#1 of 8 #1 biography movie of December 2015
2015 · Biography, Drama
$133.4M worldwide · 32% of the chart's total
$70.3M US & Canada · 53% $63.2M elsewhere · 47%
Biography box office · December 2015
Biography Box Office, December 2015: Top-Grossing Releases
The Big Short (2015) is the highest-grossing biography movie released in December 2015, with $133.4M worldwide, ahead of Joy (2015) at $101.1M and In the Heart of the Sea (2015) at $94.3M. 8 biography films released in December 2015 report a worldwide gross, $420.5M in all, 47% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 68% on November 2015, whose releases took $250.2M. By language, English leads with $419.3M across 7 biography releases.
- December 2015 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $420.5M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs November 2015
- +68%
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Biography Hits of December 2015?
The Big Short (2015) leads with $133.4M, 32% of the total. The top 5 together took $418.9M, almost all of what the 8 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Biography Release of December 2015, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in December 2015.
- 1 Dec 11, 2015 US and Canada: $70.3M Rest of the world: $63.2M Worldwide: $133.4M
- 2 Dec 25, 2015 US and Canada: $56.5M Rest of the world: $44.7M Worldwide: $101.1M
- 3 In the Heart of the Sea (2015)Dec 11, 2015 US and Canada: $25M Rest of the world: $69.3M Worldwide: $94.3M
Dec 11, 2015 · English · Action, Adventure, Biography $94.3M worldwide - 4 Dec 25, 2015 US and Canada: $34.5M Rest of the world: $14.1M Worldwide: $48.6M
- 5 Dec 4, 2015 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: $31.4M Worldwide: $41.4M
- 6
Dec 4, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2M - 7
Dec 4, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $369.8K - 8
Dec 16, 2015 US and Canada: $33.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $33.4K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2015?
Of the top 8, The Winding Stream (2015) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Lady in the Van (2015) made 76% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $196.3M (47%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 8 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Big Short (2015) $133.4M $70.3M US & Canada · 53% $63.2M elsewhere · 47%
- 2 Joy (2015) $101.1M $56.5M US & Canada · 56% $44.7M elsewhere · 44%
- 3 In the Heart of the Sea (2015) $94.3M $25M US & Canada · 27% $69.3M elsewhere · 73%
- 4 Concussion (2015) $48.6M $34.5M US & Canada · 71% $14.1M elsewhere · 29%
- 5 The Lady in the Van (2015) $41.4M $10M US & Canada · 24% $31.4M elsewhere · 76%
- 6 Life (2015) $1.2M No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 The Girl King (2015) $369.8K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 The Winding Stream (2015) $33.4K $33.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 2015 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 6–12) took $227.8M, led by The Big Short (2015). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 The Lady in the Van (2015) $43M The Lady in the Van (2015)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 The Big Short (2015) $227.8M The Big Short (2015)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 The Winding Stream (2015) $33.4K The Winding Stream (2015)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Joy (2015) $149.8M Joy (2015)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 2015 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2014 earned the most: $881M from 7 films, led by American Sniper (2014). December 2015 took $420.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2006 4 films | 4 | $346M | – | The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) $307.1M |
| December 2007 4 films · −48% | 4 | $178.9M | −48% | Charlie Wilson's War (2007) $119.5M |
| December 2008 3 films · −70% | 3 | $54.3M | −70% | Che (2008) $34.2M |
| December 2009 3 films · +217% | 3 | $172.2M | +217% | Invictus (2009) $122.4M |
| December 2010 2 films · −100% | 2 | $806.7K | −100% | Frankie & Alice (2010) $706.5K |
| December 2011 3 films · +14273% | 3 | $116M | +14273% | The Iron Lady (2011) $115.9M |
| December 2012 3 films · −89% | 3 | $13.1M | −89% | Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) $11M |
| December 2013 4 films · +5115% | 4 | $683.7M | +5115% | The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) $407M |
| December 2014 7 films · +29% | 7 | $881M | +29% | American Sniper (2014) $547.7M |
| December 2015 8 films · −52% | 8 | $420.5M | −52% | The Big Short (2015) $133.4M |
Archive
Biography Box Office in 2015, Month by Month
The months of 2015 with their totals: December leads with $420.5M, led by The Big Short (2015).
- January $801.1K #1 The Devil's Violinist (2015)
- February $27.4K #1 Gloria (2015)
- March $7.1M #1 The Salt of the Earth (2015)
- April $3M #1 Iris (2015)
- May $5.8M #1 Saint Laurent (2015)
- June $36M #1 Love & Mercy (2015)
- July $25.6M #1 Amy (2015)
- August $202.3M #1 Straight Outta Compton (2015)
- September $371M #1 Everest (2015)
- October $244M #1 Bridge of Spies (2015)
- November $250.2M #1 Spotlight (2015)
- December $420.5M #1 The Big Short (2015)
FAQ
Biography Box Office December 2015: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing biography movie in December 2015?
The Big Short (2015) leads with $133.4M worldwide, $70.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Joy (2015) at $101.1M and In the Heart of the Sea (2015) at $94.3M.
How much did biography movies released in December 2015 earn?
8 biography films released in December 2015 report a worldwide gross, $420.5M in all, or $52.6M per film on average. November 2015 releases took $250.2M.
How many biography movies released in December 2015 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by The Big Short (2015) with $133.4M.
How is the December 2015 biography box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in December 2015. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the December 2015 biography box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.