Highest Grossing True Story Films of 2019
According to Box Office Mojo, the highest-grossing film based on a true story released in 2019 was Ford v Ferrari, which earned $225.5 million domestically and $55.9 million in its opening weekend. The film, produced by Chernin Entertainment and TSG Entertainment, depicts the rivalry between Ford and Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans race. Another major entry was Joker, which grossed $335.5 million domestically, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film of the year and a character study inspired by comic book lore rather than a single historical figure.
20th Century Fox distributed Ford v Ferrari, while Warner Bros. Pictures handled Joker. Universal Pictures released The Irishman, which had a limited theatrical run before its Netflix premiere, generating $8 million in its first weekend. Despite its modest box office, the film's production budget was reported at $159 million, reflecting its status as a high-profile streaming-first historical drama about organized crime.
Critical Reception and Award Recognition
Ford v Ferrari received 4 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won 2 for Film Editing and Best Sound Editing. It holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 370 reviews. The film's director, James Mangold, focused on the technical aspects of the racing sequences, which were shot using practical effects and real vintage cars.
Joker earned 11 Oscar nominations, the most for any film in 2019, and won 2 for Best Actor and Best Original Score. The film's cinematographer, Lawrence Sher, used a 4:3 aspect ratio to create a claustrophobic visual style. On Metacritic, the film scored 59 based on 60 critics, indicating a polarized reception among professional reviewers despite its commercial success.
Production Companies and Financial Data
The production budget for Ford v Ferrari was reported by Forbes at $100 million, with a marketing spend estimated at $50 million. The film's profitability was driven primarily by international markets, where it earned $289.4 million. Chernin Entertainment, the production company, had previously released The Martian, another fact-based film with strong international performance.
Joker's production budget was confirmed by Warner Bros. at $55 million, making it one of the most cost-effective blockbusters of the year. The film's global box office total reached $1.074 billion, crossing the $1 billion mark in its 17th day of release. According to the SEC filing for Warner Bros. parent company AT&T,