The film premiered in New York City on December 17 , 2013 , and was released in the United States on December 25 , 2013 , distributed by Paramount Pictures , and was the first to be released entirely through digital distribution . It was a major commercial success , grossing more than $ 392 million worldwide during its original theatrical run to become Scorsese 's highest-grossing film and the 17th-highest-grossing film of 2013 . The film was controversial for its morally ambiguous depiction of events , explicit sexual content , extreme profanity , depiction of hard drug use , and its use of animals during production . The film received mostly positive reviews from critics , with praise for Scorsese 's direction , the comedic performance of DiCaprio and the fast-paced and consistent humor . It was nominated for several awards including five nominations at the 86th Academy Awards ceremony : Best Picture , Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay , as well as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor nominations for DiCaprio and Hill , respectively . The film did not win in any category , although DiCaprio did win Best Actor – Musical or Comedy at the 71st Golden Globe Awards , where the film was also nominated for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy . It was also recognized by numerous other awards ceremonies , as well as guilds and critics ' associations
86th Academy Awards ceremony
86th Academy Awards
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 film)