Summary
- Barbie continues its dominance at the box office, crossing $1 billion worldwide in just its third weekend. An impressive $459.4 million of that total comes from North America.
- The movie's success was fueled by WB's genius marketing campaign and Greta Gerwig's elevated take on the iconic doll, appealing not only to Barbie enthusiasts but also to those who dislike the toy.
- The simultaneous release of Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer led to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, which turned into a celebration of both films and helped get moviegoers to theaters.
Barbie has now officially crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office in its third weekend as the film continues to dominate. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film serves as an adaptation of the Mattel toy of the same name with Margot Robbie starring in the title role. Barbie has been a major success for Warner Bros. since its release in theaters last month, wowing both critics and audiences.
Now, as the historic Barbie box office run continues, Warner Bros. reports that the film has passed $1 billion worldwide, making it the first movie solely directed by a woman to cross this milestone. The film grossed $53 million domestically this weekend, bringing its North American total to an impressive $459.4 million. With an international haul of $572.1 million, Barbie is currently sitting at a worldwide total of $1.03 billion and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Barbie's Box Office Success Explained
Created in 1959, the Barbie doll is one of the most recognizable and iconic toys in history. The international recognition of the toy and the Mattel brand are undoubtedly major reasons for the movie's success. The cultural cache of the toy worked in conjunction with an incredibly powerful marketing campaign from Warner Bros., which teased the film's surprising tone and Robbie and Ryan Gosling's unique chemistry.
From the first Barbie trailer comparing the movie to 2001: A Space Odyssey, it was clear that Gerwig's take on the toy would be more elevated than people were expecting. The trailers even teased that the movie wasn't just for people who loved Barbie, but for people who hated the doll as well, affirming that this wasn't going to be a standard adaptation. The plot of the film was kept somewhat secret until fairly close to the film's release, which allowed online speculation to flourish and contributed to a viral component that is often necessary for films to become hits.
No talk of Barbie's box office success would be complete without mentioning the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon. Because Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer shared a release date, the stark contrast between the two films became an object of fascination online, with a perceived rivalry eventually blossoming into a celebration of both, with tens of thousands of moviegoers opting for a double feature. Combined with Barbie's strong reviews and word-of-mouth, the film was always going to be an impressive performer, but this latest milestone sees the film continue to exceed all expectations.
Source: Warner Bros.