Warner Bros. “Barbie”, a blockbuster based on the famous doll, has entered the billion-dollar club. Greta Gerwig’s directorial has crossed $1 billion in box-office sales worldwide within three weeks of its release. This is only the second film to cross the bar in 2023.
On Sunday, Warner Bros. said they made $53 million in the US and Canada in its third week and an additional $74 million internationally. The film has grossed $459.4 million domestically and $1.03 billion globally.
Barbie is the second film of the year to have crossed the $ 1 billion mark following The Super Mario Bros. Movie produced by Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released in theaters in April and made $1.35 billion in ticket sales.
This week, two films were set to be in theaters in the US. Meg 2: The Trench, another film by Warner Bros., made $30 million in ticket sales taking the second position, as per Comscore Inc. On the other hand, Paramount Pictures’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem grossed $28 million coming fourth after Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer.
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. received a much-needed push from the revenue of the film, along with theater chains including AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and Cinemark Holdings Inc. Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, stars Margot Robbie as the popular doll of the same name and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
Warner Bros. stated that Greta Gerwig is the first woman as a solo director to cross the $1 billion bar. The picture was produced in collaboration with Mattel Inc., the toymaker company that manufactures and sells Barbie dolls.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV on July 27, Ynon Kreiz, Chief Executive Officer of Mattel Inc, said that it’s too early to announce a sequel. Kreiz is looking to have a larger role in the entertainment industry with his California-based company, El Segundo.
The company wants to “create film franchises that have cultural resonance,” he said. “The opportunity for Barbie is pretty obvious given the success of the Barbie movie.”
Barbie was released on July 21, the same day as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which caused a massive trend of the “Barbenheimer” meme on social media.
In a statement, Gabelli Funds’, an investment management company, analysts Hanna Howard and Paul Fanelli said, “This shows that compelling stories that are well-executed and creatively marketed can capture the zeitgeist and get people excited.”
They said, the soundtrack for the film includes songs by singers such as Lizzo and Dua Lipa, which has proved to be a success for Warner Music Group.
