The highly anticipated “Barbenheimer” day has arrived, and it’s exceeding all expectations. Director Greta Gerwig’s brilliant comedy film, “Barbie,” is dominating the competition against Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” both domestically and internationally. The film’s remarkable success is evident through its astounding numbers, reaching superhero-level earnings. “Barbie” is well on its way to achieving the highest opening weekend of the year at the domestic box office, while also garnering significant interest from overseas markets.
“Barbie” made an impressive $70 million on its opening day at the domestic box office, including $22 million from Thursday previews. Current estimates suggest that the film will gross over $155 million during the three-day weekend, with Warner Bros. taking a slightly conservative approach and sticking to a $150 million projection. However, more optimistic estimates place the film’s opening in the $160 million range. Furthermore, “Barbie” is expected to earn around $120 million from nearly 70 international markets, resulting in a worldwide total of approximately $280 million by Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. To put this into perspective, it surpasses the $230 million earned by “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One” in its extended opening weekend last week. Notably, “Dead Reckoning Part One” had a budget twice the size of “Barbie,” which reportedly cost around $145 million.
“Barbie” has received a strong A CinemaScore from audiences on its opening day and holds an excellent 90% score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Ross Bonaime of Collider also praised the film in his review, stating, “Barbie is also an example of how getting the right people behind an unusual idea can make something truly beautiful come out of it.” The positive reception from both audiences and critics bodes well for the future of the film and the studio’s aspirations to create a franchise.
However, let’s not forget about Gerwig’s recent commitment to directing two Narnia movies for Netflix. Gerwig’s unique vision for “Barbie” is perhaps the most significant contributor to the film’s record-breaking success, alongside the studio’s exceptional marketing efforts. Gerwig, who emerged from the mumblecore movement, has established herself as one of the industry’s most sought-after directors. Her previous works, “Lady Bird” and “Little Women,” were both box office hits and critical darlings. Her potential return to the Barbie universe for future installments is crucial.