Barbie beats box office expectations for its opening weekend

How well is the Barbie movie doing at the box office?

Margot Robbie as Barbie in the 2023 Barbie movie

The final box-office numbers for the opening weekend of the much-talked-about Barbie movie are in, and the figures reveal that the Greta Gerwig-directed film beat box-office expectations for its first weekend in theaters.

How much money did Barbie make during its opening weekend?

Margot Robbie as Barbie in the 2023 Barbie movie
Margot Robbie as Barbie in the 2023 Barbie movie

Launched on July 21, 2023, Barbie grossed $162 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. According to ComicBook.com, that figure is about $7 million higher than originally reported on July 23, 2023, and more than $50 million better than nearly all box office projections for the movie.

Barbie earned an additional $182 million at the international box office, bringing the global opening weekend gross of the Mattel/Warner Bros. movie to $344 million, which is more than double the film’s production budget of about $150 million.

Barbie‘s opening weekend performance at the box office is the biggest of 2023 so far. It is the biggest opening weekend for a female-directed film and the third-biggest opening weekend for a live-action film based on a toy.

The Barbie movie also had the highest preview ticket sales of the year, with $22.2 million on July 20, 2023.

Barbie vs previous Warner Bros. movies

Barbie‘s early box-office success is a major victory for Warner Bros., which has been struggling in recent years. It is the biggest opening weekend for a Warner Bros. film since The Batman in 2022.

Warner Bros. has had a string of box office disappointments. The most recent of those movies is The Flash, which opened in theaters at just $55 million domestically despite having a production budget of $300 million.

It’s worth noting that aside from The Batman, the only pandemic-era Warner Bros. movie to make more than $162 million domestically during its entire theatrical run is the 2022 film Black Adam, which grossed $167 million in North America and $393 million worldwide.

Analysts are certain that Barbie will easily surpass Black Adam’s total domestic earnings by next weekend. In addition to Black Adam, other Warner Bros. blockbuster hits that Barbie will likely overtake at the domestic box office this week include Aquaman ($199 million), A Star is Born ($201 million), and It: Chapter Two ($212 million).

What is the Barbie movie about?

Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling in the 2023 Barbie movie
Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling in the 2023 Barbie movie

The Barbie movie is about a Barbie who lives in a seemingly perfect world called Barbieland. However, she begins to question her life and what it means to be a Barbie. She decides to leave Barbieland and explore the real world, where she learns about the joys and perils of living among humans.

Described as a “coming-of-age story” and a “feminist fairy tale,” Barbie stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film also features an ensemble cast that includes America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Will Ferrell, and many more!

Check out Barbie‘s official trailer below:

Barbie | Main Trailer

Is Barbie worth watching?

The Barbie movie has been met with mixed reactions from critics. Some have praised the film’s humor, heart, and subversion of expectations. Others have criticized the film for its lack of originality and its reliance on stereotypes.

If you are looking for a fun and escapist film that is sure to please fans of the Barbie brand, then you may enjoy the film. However, if you are looking for a groundbreaking film, then you may be disappointed.

Sources: ComicBook.com, Box Office Mojo