This past weekend has been the coolest in terms of box office performance in all of 2023. No superhero movies or major action blockbusters, the big surprises in cinema were two films that, despite being great in their own way, have nothing in common with each other or the current film landscape.
On one hand, we have Barbie. Greta Gerwig’s film, based on the iconic Mattel doll, has been capturing the public’s favor since its first trailers, and its release has confirmed that its quality is sublime, eliciting a fervent response from the audience. On the other hand, we have Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s latest film, serving as a biopic of the creator of the nuclear bomb; a remarkable film poised to sweep awards, and it has also resonated well with the audience.
Barbenheimer achieves the expected success
Finally, as expected, both films have achieved tremendous success worldwide. But what exact records have this duo, dubbed “Barbenheimer,” achieved? Let’s take a look.
Let’s start with Barbie. Gerwig’s film debuted in theaters with a box office gross of about 155 million dollars, making it the highest-grossing opening of the year. The previous record holder was Super Mario Bros. The Movie, but Margot Robbie’s film has surpassed the plumber’s.
But that’s not all. Barbie has also broken a significant record: the highest-grossing debut directed by a woman. Until now, Captain Marvel (153 million dollars) held the record, but Gerwig has achieved another major milestone. Including international box office numbers, Barbie has surpassed 300 million dollars during its first weekend, making it poised to become the highest-grossing film of the year—at least among those already released.
The numbers for Oppenheimer may not be as striking, but it has still achieved very impressive figures to keep the phenomenon growing. Nolan’s film has started its journey with a whopping $80.5 million in the United States, setting its own record: the best opening for an R-rated film since the beginning of the pandemic.
Oppenheimer surpasses John Wick 4, a movie that previously held this record with $73.8 million. It is also the third-best opening for a Nolan film, behind The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.
Including international box office earnings, Oppenheimer has reached a total of $169.4 million, significantly surpassing its $100 million budget. It is expected that these numbers will continue to increase in the coming weeks, but these two films are making it clear that the film industry is not in the dire state that was once thought.
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