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A Grand Universal Theory of Oppenheimer’s Success

While Hollywood was obsessed with finding the next ‘Star Wars’ or Marvel cinematic universe, Universal’s long-tenured Donna Langley stood firm against what seemed to be a Disney onslaught by… not being Disney.

Donna Langley
Langley and the Universal team outbid others for Oppenheimer, treated it from the beginning like a blockbuster, and managed to maintain Oscar momentum from July through its seven wins last night. Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage
Scott Mendelson
March 12, 2024

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer pulled off something incredible at last night’s Academy Awards—not only did the film approach a sweep by winning seven Oscars, including best picture, but that victory marked the first time a single studio has won the top trophy and the battle for global theatrical market share in a single year. Universal, which is owned by Comcast, edged out Disney for the first time since 2015, earning $4.91 billion in 2023 to Disney’s $4.82 billion.