This Barbie only believes in shooting for the stars.
Greta Gerwig’s existential drama veiled behind a bubblegum pink comedy has been off to a mighty start (to say the least) at the box office, breaking record after glorious record as critics and fans sing the movie’s praise to the skies. The summer sensation that crystallized into a global spectacle in no time, has not only outshined several popular blockbusters, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie and 2017’s Wonder Woman, but it has also secured the first position in six more realms of gleaming success.
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2023’s Most Glamorous (And the Biggest) Opening Weekend
Universal Pictures’ The Super Mario Bros. Movie witnessed a grand opening at the box office, raking in $146.3 million. But it looks like Barbie‘s dazzling victory has overshadowed Mario’s nostalgic and whimsical adventures as Greta Gerwig‘s live-action film made a whopping $155 million in its 3-day opening weekend.
Sorry, Luigi, it’s Barbieland over the Mushroom Kingdom.
Greta Gerwig for the Win
Barbie didn’t just beat The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s debut weekend, it also holds the record for the highest-grossing opening that a movie helmed by a female director has seen. Written and shepherded by Gerwig, 39, the film vanquished Anna Boden’s Captain Marvel (co-directed by Ryan Fleck) which opened at approximately $153 million in North America. This record was previously held by Patty Jenkins’ 2017 superhero flick, Wonder Woman, which witnessed an opening weekend of $103.3 million.
Barbie Trumps Vampires & Werewolves
The Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starrer has also managed to beat The Twilight Saga: New Moon for being the only movie that premiered without IMAX screens to have such a magnificent debut weekend. In comparison, the 2009 installment of the Twilight series had an opening worth a total of $142.8 million.
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Woody, Who?
Up until now, Josh Cooley’s Toy Story 4 held the record for the biggest opening weekend for a movie based on a toy, sitting on almost a lofty $121 million. But of course, that was before Robbie stole hearts and dropped jaws with her show-stopping performance as the iconic fashion doll.
Fourth-Most Lucrative Weekend
The pink-tinged craze that emerged in the wake of Gerwig’s bright comedy ranks fourth in the list of ‘biggest opening weekend’ in the history of cinema after it crossed the $300 million mark at the box office. Adding Barbie‘s international earnings to the mix, the film eyes a phenomenal global opening weekend of $377 million. Up until now, only three other movies have managed to churn such historic numbers, the likes of which comprise Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Barbie & Ken Set New World Records
Although both Robbie and Gosling are renowned figures in the film industry and have been the face of numerous big-studio projects, neither of their films has ever seen an opening as staggering as their latest venture. Before Barbie, the Australian actress’ biggest opening had been 2016’s Suicide Squad which amassed around $133.7 million whereas the Canadian actor’s highest record (before this) remained the $32.8 million that Blade Runner 2049 made.
Last But Not the Least
Besides all the other remarkable records that it broke, Barbie is also the only ever film without any sequels and remakes, and one that isn’t a superhero movie, to have scored such a rocking opening weekend.
The Barbiemania is real.
Barbie is currently playing in cinemas.
Source: The Direct
