The Bob Dylan musical biopic A Complete Unknown has director James Mangold sitting pretty at the box office. With over $53 million worldwide, according to data from The Numbers, the film has earned Mangold a spot among the top 40 highest-grossing directors at the box office in 2025.

Directed by Mangold, known for Walk the Line and Ford v Ferrari, A Complete Unknown explores Dylan’s rise in the New York folk scene and his controversial shift to electric music in 1965. Mangold co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks.

Timothée Chalamet (Dune, Call Me by Your Name) stars as Dylan, joined by Edward Norton (Fight Club, Birdman) as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning (The Great) as Sylvie Russo (based on Dylan’s girlfriend Suze Rotolo), and Monica Barbaro (Top Gun: Maverick) as Joan Baez. The cast also includes Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, and Scoot McNairy.

Mangold’s career spans multiple genres, from the superhero film Logan to the action comedy Night and Day, proving his versatility as a director. He’s also produced several TV shows (Zoo, Men In Trees) and movies (The Greatest Showman).

With a total of $1.127 billion in box office earnings, Mangold has surpassed Joss Whedon, known for his work on The Avengers films. While Whedon’s success is primarily tied to superhero franchises, Mangold has achieved his earnings through a diverse range of genres. Mangold’s growing success continues to cement his place as one of Hollywood’s top directors.

Oscar nominations are set for January 23, and A Complete Unknown is expected to be a strong contender for Best Director, with Timothée Chalamet potentially receiving a Best Actor nomination. While primarily marketed toward a U.S. audience, the film will hit international theaters this week, and its profits are expected to grow.

Go check out the movie in theaters now!