'Bohemian Rhapsody' has been a runaway hit outside the US, which helps explain its big Golden Globes upset

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'Bohemian Rhapsody' has been a runaway hit outside the US, which helps explain its big Golden Globes upset

bohemian rhapsody

Fox

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody"

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  • "Bohemian Rhapsody" winning best drama at the Golden Globes on Sunday shocked many, but the win reinforces the movie's international appeal.
  • The Queen biopic has made $743 million worldwide, 74% of that coming from foreign markets.
  • The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes voting body, is made up of 90 international journalists.
  • BoxOfficeAnalyst.com's Doug Stone told Business Insider that the movie's success reminded him of "The Greatest Showman," which was also an international hit and was nominated for best musical or comedy at last year's Globes.

Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" shocked many when it won best drama at the Golden Globes on Sunday. Most awards experts predicted the night would belong to "A Star Is Born," which ended up going home with just one prize for best original song.

Some attributed the movie's win to the Golden Globes being, well, the Golden Globes. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the Globes voting body, is notorious for awarding wild choices, and "Bohemian Rhapsody" is just one of many head-scratching moments this year.

READ MORE: Shocking Golden Globe winners like 'Green Book' and Glenn Close confirmed we're in for a wild Oscar night

But when looking at the movie's international success, the win isn't as surprising.

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"Bohemian Rhapsody" has grossed $743 million globally, with $549 million of that, or 74%, coming from foreign markets, according to Box Office Mojo. It's the eighth highest-grossing movie of 2018 worldwide.

It's even currently taking Japan and South Korea by storm, according to The Washington Post. The movie has made $72 million in South Korea, where Queen-related events are held throughout the country. And in Japan, where it's made $56 million so far, some theaters allow audiences to sing and dance to the songs.

Little is know about the HFPA, but it's comprised of about 90 international entertainment journalists who are based in California, according to its website.

READ MORE: Fox fired 'Bohemian Rhapsody' director Bryan Singer, but he still thanked the Golden Globes for the movie's big win

"Bohemian Rhapsody," one of the biggest movies of 2018 that focuses on a band with a worldwide fanbase, is right up the HFPA's alley.

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"Given the subject of the film, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was definitely more a film that would [appeal] (thanks to the world wide popularity of Queen) to foreign audiences," BoxOfficeAnalyst.com's Doug Stone told Business Insider.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" didn't wow critics, and the movie has a 62% Rotten Tomatoes critic score. But Stone said the movie performed better with foreign critics, which further highlights the movie's international appeal.

Of 54 international press members that Stone recognized on Rotten Tomatoes, 43 of them gave the film a positive review, he said. "Bohemian Rhapsody" also has a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 16,000 user ratings, suggesting audiences like the movie a lot more than critics.

"The film's performance is reminiscent in some ways of 'The Greatest Showman,' which threw terrific box-office numbers (60% foreign) and audience response relative to its 55% Rotten Tomatoes rating," Stone said.

"The Greatest Showman" was nominated for best musical or comedy at last year's Golden Globes.

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