Box-Office Milestone: 'The Imitation Game' Crosses $200 Million Globally

The Oscar-winning historical drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Enigma code-breaker Alan Turing.

The Imitation Game is celebrating crossing the $200 million mark at the worldwide box office following its win for best adapted screenplay at the Academy Awards.

Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Graham Moore, the independent historical drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the cryptologist who helped break Germany's Enigma code during World War II before being prosecuted by the British government for being gay.

Imitation Game, produced by Black Bear Pictures and Bristol Automotive, has earned roughly $115 million internationally, where FilmNation is handling the movie. The film, released in the U.S. by The Weinstein Co., has earned $86.8 million domestically for a global total of $201.8 million.

"Every territory we look, we see the film staying in the top five and holding well from weekend to weekend," said Black Bear's Teddy Schwarzman, who is in preproduction on Gold, starring Matthew McConaughey. "This is an independent film we made for $15 million. To have this type of success around the world is jaw-dropping for us. We are still early in our runs in some markets and have Japan left to open."

Nora Grossman, who runs Bristol Automatic with Ido Ostrowsky, noted that The Imitation Game saw a bump after the Academy Awards, earning another $6 million internationally and falling just 23 percent in North America. "We are elated that people are responding to Alan's story," said Grossman. "And Graham's Oscar speech was really great, and that is also striking a chord."

Moore also is a producer on the film alongside Schwarzman, Ostrowsky and Grossman.

Schwarzman said Imitation Game has done well in parts of the world he wouldn't necessarily have expected. It has earned $2.3 million its first two weeks in South Korea, exceeding the lifetime grosses of The King's Speech, 12 Years a Slave and Lincoln, among other adult dramas.

The U.K. leads overall internationally with $25.6 million, putting it ahead of The Iron Lady, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Philomena and Atonement, which likewise were ready-made for British audiences. It also has done more business than The Butler, Argo, The Artist, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Lincoln.

Imitation Game has prospered across Europe, including Germany, where it has grossed $4.3 million, passing up the lifetime earnings of films including Captain Phillips and Zero Dark Thirty.

In North America, Imitation Game stayed in the top 10 for nine weekends, earning more than any other Oscar best picture contender save for American Sniper (that also applies globally).