鈥淏arbie鈥� didn鈥檛 just for 2023; It also shattered the first weekend record for a film directed by a woman.
With $162 million in ticket sales from North American theaters, according to studio totals Monday, 鈥淏arbie鈥� catapulted past both 鈥淐aptain Marvel,鈥� which was co-directed by Anna Boden and opened to $153.4 million in 2019, and 鈥淲onder Woman,鈥� 鈥� 2017 film that debuted to $103.3 million. Boasting a reported price tag of $145 million, 鈥淏arbie鈥� also cost less to produce than 鈥淐aptain Marvel鈥� ($152 million) and 鈥淲onder Woman鈥� ($200 million).
Globally, it far surpassed 鈥淲onder Woman鈥檚鈥� debut with over $337 million versus $228.3 million, though 鈥淐aptain Marvel鈥檚鈥� global launch was higher at $455 million.
鈥淏arbie鈥檚鈥� debut, $7 million higher than estimated on Sunday, is also significant because its audience was 65% women 鈥� not a surprise in and of itself, but as far as box office history is concerned, movies that open over $100 million often have a majority male audience (including both 鈥淐aptain Marvel鈥� and 鈥淲onder Woman鈥�). This, many have noted, is perhaps less a rule and more of a lack of big films that have been made and promoted with a blockbuster female audience in minds.
A close, but imperfect comparison is 鈥淔ifty Shades of Grey,鈥� which was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, and made $85 million in its first three days. The R-rated adaptation opened on Presidents Day weekend in 2017 for a five-day haul of $93 million.
鈥淏arbie鈥� also earned the title of the third biggest July debut ever, surpassing Christopher Nolan鈥檚 鈥淭he Dark Knight鈥� and 鈥淭he Dark Knight Rises" 鈥� not adjusted for inflation 鈥� and trailing only the live-action 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� and 鈥淗arry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.鈥�
鈥淏arbie鈥� which is intended to be the first of many Mattel-inspired spinoffs. And in just one weekend it鈥檚 already surpassed the domestic grosses her last two films, which earned $108.1 million and 鈥淟ady Bird,鈥� with $49 million. In 2018, Gerwig also made history by becoming the fifth woman to be nominated for the best director Oscar (for 鈥淟ady Bird鈥� ). As of 2023, there have now been seven women nominated for best director, and some are already predicting that Gerwig will notch another nod for next year's ceremony.
鈥淏arbie鈥� and Gerwig's success was celebrated widely online with many in Hollywood pausing to reflect on the moment. Reese Witherspoon posted 鈥渨ay to go, GG!鈥� on Instagram, while director Ry Russo-Young wrote that 鈥�'Barbie' and its success looms as a beacon of hope" amid the strikes and widely shut-down productions.
鈥淚t's wildly original, feminist, giant in scope and swing, and feels singular to a perspective,鈥� Russo-Young wrote. 鈥淭hese are rare qualities for big movies these days. I hope to see more made like this in the coming years.鈥�
Filmmaker Nancy Meyers also celebrated the 鈥渢riumph鈥� on Instagram, but bristled at the focus on the glass ceiling aspect asking if 鈥淐hristopher Nolan has ever once in his life been referred to as a male director.鈥� Meyers and Nolan are among only a handful of writer-directors who have had two or more of their original films gross over $100 million domestically.
鈥淕reta Gerwig鈥檚 鈥楤arbie鈥� accomplished something so profound,鈥� Melissa Silverstein, the founder of the blog Women and Hollywood and the artistic director of the Athena Film Festival, wrote in an email Monday. 鈥淭he fact that she made a funny, entertaining feminist critique and broke so many box office records with a movie about a doll that has been such a lightning rod in our culture is a monumental feat that should not be underestimated.鈥�
Now it鈥檚 a question of how high 鈥淏arbie鈥� can go and if it can outgross other top films directed by women. In North America, to get the No. 1 spot, 鈥淏arbie鈥� will have to earn more than 鈥淔rozen II,鈥� co-directed by Jennifer Lee, which tallied out with $477.4 million. 鈥淐aptain Marvel鈥� is in second place with $426.8 million.
With and audience scores in its arsenal, word-of-mouth enthusiasm and watercooler buzz, as well as no direct new competition on the calendar, it's likely that 鈥淏arbie鈥� will have 鈥渓ong legs,鈥� a common phrase in the exhibition business that means a movie will continue selling significant numbers of tickets far past its opening weekend.
鈥淭his film is working everywhere,鈥� said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.鈥� head of domestic distribution. 鈥楾his historic result reflects the intense heat, interest and enthusiasm for 鈥楤arbie.鈥欌��
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
