‘Wolf of Wall Street’ is now Martin Scorsese’s most financially successful movie

“Wolf of Wall Street” director Martin Scorsese has always been a darling of movie critics, awards shows, and film fans. But until fairly recently, he’s never been a real force at the box office.

This week, that finally changed for the 71-year-old filmmaker as his latest film crossed the $300-million mark worldwide.

Scorsese cemented his reputation as one of Hollywood’s great directors with movies like “Taxi Driver,”(1976) “Raging Bull,”(1980) and “Goodfellas” (1990). All three films were critical hits but hardly blockbusters. “Taxi Driver,” his breakthrough film, cost only $1.3 million to make and grossed about $28 million at the box office. It was a great return on investment for studio Columbia Pictures, but it was still a far cry from what other hits of the time were earning. Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” released a year before “Taxi Driver,” earned as much in just three weeks!

Despite continuing to work at a high level throughout the '80s and earning three Best Director Oscar nominations during that period, it wasn’t really until 1991’s “Cape Fear” (Scorsese’s seventh collaboration with Robert De Niro) that the director had a real hit on his hands. A remake of the 1962 thriller of the same name, “Cape Fear” brought in over $180 million worldwide and was the twelfth highest grossing movie of 1991. De Niro earned his third Academy Award nomination for Best Actor under Scorsese for his performance in the film.

Scorsese’s run in the 1990s was similar to the 1980s, in that he was doing great, award-winning work, but not a whole lot of business at the box office. (That said, the sooner we all forget 1997’s “Kundun,” the better.) It wouldn’t be until 2002’s “Gangs of New York” (Scorsese’s first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio) that the filmmaker would see similar levels of financial success. The film grossed almost $200 million globally and earned Scorsese his first Best Director nomination since “Goodfellas.”

Critical and box office success finally went hand in hand for Scorsese during the Oughties. "The Aviator" (2004) grossed $214 million worldwide and scored Scorsese yet another Best Director nomination; 2006's "The Departed" grossed $289 million worldwide and finally won him his first Best Director Oscar; 2008's "Shutter Island" made $294 million; and 2011's "Hugo" grossed $194 million and gave the director his seventh Best Director nomination.

So, how should the success of Scorsese's recent movies be measured? In terms of box office or awards season trophies? After a 50-plus year career, the director is in the rare (and long overdue) position of being on the receiving end of both ticket sales and gold statues. With "The Wolf of Wall Street" becoming Scorsese's highest-grossing film ever, it's now up to the Academy to decide whether the director -- who is again up for that Best Director prize -- will continue the trend.

It's a little sad that one of Hollywood's greatest living directors gets his biggest hit ever in his seventies, but there's something to be said for Scorsese's choice of source material this time around. The filmmaker recently appeared on "Conan" to talk about the film and touched on his own experiences with the recreational drug Quaaludes (which figures heavily into the film). Clearly, having Leonardo DiCaprio play a debaucherous, drug-addicted slime ball had something to do with "The Wolf of Wall Street's" success. We hope you're taking notes, Marty.