The Big Picture
- Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has surpassed $800 million at the box office, potentially becoming the second film this year to reach $1 billion globally.
- The film has been highly successful both domestically and internationally, with top markets including the U.K., Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and China.
- Despite the film’s success, Gerwig has not yet committed to directing a Barbie sequel, leaving the future of the franchise uncertain without her thought-provoking filmmaking.
After less than two weeks in theaters, director Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has passed the $800 million mark at the worldwide box office, putting it on course to become the year’s second film to cross the coveted $1 billion mark globally, after The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But at the rate it’s going, a $1 billion haul would just be another milestone on its path to bigger achievements. The film has been on a money-making spree at the box office, after debuting alongside Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer in what has come to be known as the “Barbenheimer” event.
As of Wednesday, the film has grossed $381 million in domestic theaters, and another $429 million from overseas markets, for a running global haul of $810 million. The film will pass the billion-dollar mark in a matter of days. Barbie delivered the year’s biggest domestic opening, with $162 million in the first three days, and then registered a stunningly low 42% second weekend drop, adding $93 million to its domestic tally. This weekend, it is projected to add between $55 million and $60 million. And impressively, the film has been just as popular with global audiences as well.
Its top international markets are the U.K. ($61 million), Mexico ($41 million), Brazil ($33 million), Australia ($30 million) and China ($28 million). The movie marks a much-needed win for Warner Bros., after back-to-back superhero bummers Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash. With this, the studio has a surefire franchise on its hands, although Gerwig’s immediate schedule looks a little packed.
Will Greta Gerwig Return to Barbieland?
It was recently announced that she’d direct two Narnia movies for Netflix, and more concerningly, she told The New York Times in an interview that she currently has no firm ideas for a Barbie sequel. But with Mattel putting together a universe of movies based on its properties, it would be a no-brainer to get another Barbie movie off the ground immediately. Is there a world, however, in which the Barbie franchise can continue without Gerwig? The filmmaker’s sharp take on consumerism, the patriarchy, and existentialism has been largely applauded by audiences and critics, cementing her as one of the rare filmmakers capable of delivering thought-provoking hits. And to not have her return would be a shame.
Barbie’s success also vindicates stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who’ve waited a long time for a hit like this. For Robbie, it’s now her biggest movie of all time, overtaking Suicide Squad’s $747 million worldwide haul. She was also coming off of two big-budget bombs — David O. Russell’s Amsterdam and Damien Chazelle’s Babylon. Gosling, on the other hand, hadn’t had a theatrical hit since 2016’s La La Land. Barbie also stars America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon and others. You can watch our interview with Gerwig here, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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