Barbie surpasses $1 billion at the box office

Barbie, the first US film directed by one woman to reach the billion dollar mark, became a cultural phenomenon through a mix of clever marketing and a story that echoes the zeitgeist.

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is a billion-dollar hit.

The pink-obsessed comedy, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, topped more than $1 billion in estimated global box-office receipts as of this weekend, according to research firm Comscore. It is now the first US film directed by one woman to reach the billion-dollar mark.

Through Sunday, the movie has grossed about $1.03 billion overall in domestic and international markets, making it one of only about a half-dozen films since the pandemic to gross a billion dollars in ticket sales. Christopher Nolan’s World War II drama Oppenheimer, meanwhile, has grossed $552.9 million globally.

Barbie became a cultural phenomenon through what analysts have described as a savvy mix of consumer marketing and a story that is resonating with audiences. Moviegoers – some decked out in fuchsia-coloured outfits – have packed theatres across the U.S. in recent weeks to watch the film, which focuses on the Mattel doll and her search for meaning as she leaves a pink utopia.

Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in a scene from the movie Barbie.

The success of Barbie, alongside Oppenheimer, has been a rare bright spot for Hollywood amid continuing disputes with labour and a shift in consumer viewing habits that has led many people to stream movies at home.

Only five other films have surpassed $1 billion in box-office sales since the start of the pandemic, according to Box Office Mojo. Those include “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which crossed $1 billion in box-office receipts earlier this year, along with “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Jurassic World Dominion.”

(L-R) America Ferrera, Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig attend the Barbie European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square. Picture: Getty Images.

Gerwig, who co-wrote and directed “Barbie,” is now set to become one of the highest-grossing female directors in history. She is known for her 2017 film, “Lady Bird,” and the reboot of “Little Women” in 2019.

Barbie is the first U.S. motion picture directed by one woman to cross the billion-dollar mark globally. The next highest-grossing film by a solo female director, “Wonder Woman,” directed by Patty Jenkins, raked in $823.7 million worldwide, according to Comscore.

Three U.S. films that have exceeded a billion in overall ticket sales have been co-directed by women, including “Frozen,” and “Frozen 2,” both co-directed by Jennifer Lee, and “Captain Marvel,” co-directed by Anna Boden, according to Comscore. All three of those films have higher worldwide grosses than “Barbie,” with “Frozen” bringing in $1.3 billion, “Frozen 2” generating $1.5 billion and “Captain Marvel” earning $1.1 billion.

Overall, 53 movies have surpassed a billion dollars in global box-office receipts, unadjusted for inflation, including “Barbie.” “It seems almost everyone around the world is talking about ‘Barbie,’” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore. “You don’t get to a billion dollars without a movie being some sort of phenomenon.” To build anticipation for “Barbie,” Warner Bros. Pictures and co-producer Mattel Films, a unit of the toymaker, embarked on an all-out marketing blitz. Mattel promoted the movie in stores where its toys are sold and entered into more than 160 consumer products partnerships. Gap sold Barbie and Ken T-shirts. Ulta Beauty offered hot pink Barbie electric toothbrushes. Microsoft made a Barbie Xbox, while Target sold Barbie pool floats.

Warner Bros. executives held weekly meetings on how to create a ” summer of Barbie.”

Warner Bros. executives held weekly meetings on how to create a ” summer of Barbie,” as The Wall Street Journal previously reported. Warner Bros. Discovery’s HGTV network aired a “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge” show. Its TNT channel previewed the movie during the NBA Conference Finals, while Food Network devoted an episode of the “Summer Baking Championship” to a Barbie theme.

The results of the marketing efforts “made the movie hard to ignore,” said Ynon Kreiz, Mattel’s CEO and chairman, on an earnings call in late July. “This was about creating a cultural event.” Beyond “Barbie,” Hollywood studios and theatre chains still face challenges. Both the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, representing Hollywood writers and actors, remain on strike, disrupting future film production.

“The longer it goes on, the more profound the impact,” Dergarabedian said.

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