Being a success at theOscarsdoesn’t always mean being a winner in theatre . Though some films have had the honor of invite the Academy Award for Best Picture , these films have n’t always made a lot at the box position . Sometimes , they just do n’t appeal to enough casual moviegoer as they do with critics . In fact , someBest Picture winners at the Oscarseven mislay money after bombing in theaters .

Afterdirector Sean Baker’sAnorawon the Best Picture accolade at the2025 Oscars , this motion characterisation became one of the lowest - grossing film to ever win in that family . However , there are many other Best Picture winners that made a lot less in theatre , at least compare to more modern movies . This does n’t mean that they were box office loser , as some still succeeded in make a earnings . Whether or not they made their money back , there have been some movies that win Best Picture but did n’t make virtually as much money as the winners of late age .

10All About Eve (1950)

Box Office: $8,402,507

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , this cinema classic follow an actor who fear for her career when a untested fan enters her life and peril to take her spot . Since it stars adult - covert legends Bette Davis and Anne Baxter , All About Evedrew in quite a crowd when it premier in theaters in 1950 .

This year proved to be one full of surprisal for the Oscars , whether it was   Anora   becoming the underdog ex-serviceman by bringing home almost all of its major nominating address , or   Wicked   failing to acquire in any of the musical family . For me , though , I think the biggest surprise has to be that   Flow   bring home the Best Animated Feature Film award . That ’s not to say I did n’t opine the movie was deserve of the trophy , nor that the look   Inside Out 2   deserved it more than the cat - focussed film , but more that both   The Wild Robot   and   Wallace & Gromit : Vengeance Most Fowl   felt like they were going to be the underdogs that brought home the win .

This take into account the film to make back its budget at the box power with a reported $ 8,402,507 porcine ( viaThe Numbers ) . It also appealed to the masses with its relevant message about how char are measure based on their younker in a male - dominate Hollywood , standardized toBest Picture nomineeThe Substance . For this reason , All About Evehas persist a timeless hit classic in the decades since its premiere .

Mikey Madison looking upset in Anora

9Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

Box Office: $7,800,000

This film evidence player Gregory Peck play a journalist who pretend to be Jewish to research an article on antisemitism within American society . Given how it tackle prejudicesimilar toThe Brutalist , another nominee for Best Picture , it ’s no surprise that it was such a bang in theaters and at the Oscars when it premier in 1947.Gentleman ’s Agreementis said to have gross at least $ 7,800,000 in cinemas , nearly four time as much as its $ 2,000,000 budget ( viaThe Numbers ) .

8Gigi (1958)

Box Office: $7,300,000

Gigitells the musical and comedic history of a teenage missy evoke to be a courtesan who pursues genuine love in thespian Leslie Caron ’s 2nd Best Picture - win film . For tenner , it also hold the book for the eminent issue of Academy Awards won in a clean sweep , winning all of its nine nominating address . Making a profit with a report minimal gross of $ 7.3 million ( viaThe Numbers),Gigimade it among the last great musicals produced by MGM .

7An American In Paris (1951)

Box Office: $7,000,000

star melodious icon Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron , this song - and - dance rom - com excite up quite a success in theaters . present the hectic love floor of two friends infatuated with the same fair sex , An American in Parispresented another traditional but iconic romance feature songs by composer George Gershwin . ThisGene Kelly filmis said to havemade over $ 7 million at the boxful officeafter a production that cost $ 2.7 million(viaThe Eddie Mannix Ledger ) . After it receive the Oscar for Best Picture , An American in Paris established itself as one of thebest musicals of all meter .

6Rebecca (1940)

Box Office: $6,002,370

Though the legendaryAlfred Hitchcock never won an Oscar , 1940’sRebeccawas the first and only movie directed by Hitchcock that gain ground the Oscar for Best Picture . This romantic , mediaeval thriller hooked audiences with Hitchcock ’s trademark brand of suspense , present a grip story of a charwoman who get hitched with a wealthy man whose premature marriage is shrouded in mystery .

As per common , all kinds of track record were break at the 2025 Oscar . So , here is a full dislocation of each record that was broken at the Academy Awards .

With an iconic Hollywood director at the helm andrenowned lead stars Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine , Rebeccamade just over $ 6 million at the box office after being made on a reported $ 1,2800,000 budget ( viaThe Numbers ) . WhileRebeccaisn’t one of Hitchcock ’s most pop moving picture over 80 years later , it certainly rank among his good flick .

Nicolas Cage fromThe Surfer, Ben Affleck from The Accountant 2, and Blake Lively from Another Simple Favor

5The Great Ziegfield (1936)

Box Office: $4,673,000

As a biopic about Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfield Jr. and the making of the Ziegfield Follies , MGM went all out with the making of this motion picture , making it one of the studio apartment ’s most expensive productions back in the 24-hour interval . Nevertheless , this ebullient melodic drama became one of MGM ’s most successful moving picture at the time of its going . star Hollywood legends Jimmy Stewart , Judy Garland , Hedy Lamarr , and Lana Turner , The Great Ziegfieldwowed consultation as it allegedly made $ 4,673,000 in theatersafter being made on a $ 2.183 million budget ( viaThe Eddie Mannix Ledger ) .

With the Oscars now over , we front ahead to the buzziest picture coming out in theaters and on cyclosis this leap , and will also premier at SXSW .

With such a successful theatrical rivulet , An American in Parisdidn’t just found Caron ’s Hollywood career . It also became the first Best Picture winner create byGigidirector Vincente Minnelli . On top of that , An American in Pariswon five more Oscar out of a total of eight nominations , making it one of the most acclaimed musical of Old Hollywood .

A girl looking conflicted in Final Destination Bloodline

4The Broadway Melody (1929)

Box Office: $4,358,000

The Broadway Melodymade celluloid history as the first musical produced by MGM and Hollywood ’s first melodic to utilize sound . Thanks to such innovation , The Broadway Melodywent above and beyond its $ 379,000 budget , as it reportedly made almost $ 4.4 million in theatre of operations ( viaThe Numbers ) . Ultimately , The Broadway Melodybecame the first musical to win Best Picture at the Oscars , having come through at the 2nd Academy Awards .

3You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

Box Office: $4,000,000

You Ca n’t Take It With Youdepicts the Word of a snobby banker who falls in passion with a woman from a more freakish but loving family . It ’s the traditional rom - com setup , but one that was very successful in its sentence . Not only was this the 2nd Frank Capra picture that won Best Picture at the Oscars , it also advance Capra the honour for Best Director for the quaternary time in his calling . Filmed on a $ 1,644,000 budget , You Ca n’t Take It With Youbecame another succeeder story for Capra as it allegedly grossed $ 4,000,000 at the box office ( viaThe Numbers ) .

2CODA (2021)

Box Office: $2,237,618

CODAbroke new earth with its story of a teenager who essay to fulfill her dreams while patronize her indifferent family as the only one who can hear . CODAreportedly made $ 2,237,618 in theaters worldwide against its $ 10,000,000 budget ( viaThe Numbers ) . While the plastic film ’s box office 144 is down in the mouth , it can be attributed to its limited theatrical spillage before it was dropped onto streaming on Apple TV+ . This madeCODAthe first picture farm and/or distributed by a cyclosis divine service to win the Oscar for Best Picture , as well as the first film star preponderantly deaf role player to win in that category .

1Cimarron (1931)

Box Office: $1,383,000

Cimarronwas the fourth - ever film in Academy Awards ' account to gain the Oscar for Best Picture . Though the film made $ 1.383 million at the box bureau , it fail to make back its reported $ 1.433 million budget ( viaHistorical Journal of Film , Radio and Television ) . Though it was scarcely a success for RKO Films and has n’t quite resonated with audiences a hundred later , Cimarronstill set a milestone in Old Hollywood as the first Western film to win Best Picture .

author : Historical Journal of Film , Radio and Television , The Numbers , The Eddie Mannix Ledger

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Cast

Cimarron , free in 1931 , follows Yancey Cravat , a versatile pioneer who arrogate land in Oklahoma during the territory ’s possibility for colonisation . He quickly rises as a prominent bod in Osage , while his wife , Sabra , assumes her own leaders role as Yancey repeatedly departs , seeking new frontiers .

The cast of CODA (2021)

Adrien Brody in The Brutalist and Ariana Grande in Wicked between an Oscar statuette

Cimarron, released in 1931, follows Yancey Cravat, a versatile pioneer who claims land in Oklahoma during the territory’s opening for settlement. He quickly rises as a prominent figure in Osage, while his wife, Sabra, assumes her own leadership role as Yancey repeatedly departs, seeking new frontiers.

A woman and a man kissing in Gentleman’s Agreement

Leslie Caron staring at a statuette in Gigi

Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron dancing in An American in Paris

Laurence Olivier as George Fortescue Maximilian “Maxim” de Winter hugging Joan Fontaine as Mrs. de Winter in Rebecca

William Powell as Florenz “Flo” Ziegfeld Jr. and Luise Rainer as Anna Held sitting at a table in the audience in The Great Ziegfield.

The Broadway Melody cast

James Stewart and Jean Arthur embracing in You Can’t Take It With You

Emilia Jones making a sign with her hand in CODA

Richard Dix and Irene Dunne and a child in Cimarron (1931)

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Cimarron, released in 1931, follows Yancey Cravat, a versatile pioneer who claims land in Oklahoma during the territory’s opening for settlement. He quickly rises as a prominent figure in Osage, while his wife, Sabra, assumes her own leadership role as Yancey repeatedly departs, seeking new frontiers.

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