According to distributor Warner Bros., the Barbie film has achieved remarkable success in the US and Canada, becoming the biggest film of the year so far. It made an estimated $155 million (£120 million) during its opening weekend.
In competition with Barbie, the new release Oppenheimer, distributed by Universal Pictures, earned $93.7 million (£72 million) in the US. Both films contributed to Vue, a UK cinema chain, experiencing its busiest weekend in four years. Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, is on track to become the biggest film of 2023 in the UK, surpassing Super Mario Bros.
The plot of Oppenheimer revolves around the development of the first atomic bomb and features Cillian Murphy, directed by Christopher Nolan. On the other hand, Barbie tells a coming-of-age story of the iconic children’s character and her journey of self-discovery while encouraging her friend Ken to embrace his individuality.
The two films were released on the same day, sparking competition on social media referred to as “Barbenheimer.” Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, outperformed Super Mario Bros in ticket sales during its opening weekend, making it the biggest film of 2023 so far. Globally, Barbie’s debut earned $337 million (£293 million).
Receiving critical acclaim, Barbie’s impact on audiences has been immense, with fans praising its timeless and enduring qualities. Odeon reported significant advance ticket sales, and Vue cinema witnessed Barbie’s pre-sale purchases surpassing other blockbuster films released in the same year.
In addition to its UK success, Oppenheimer also performed well in international markets, earning $93.7 million (£75 million) and bringing its global total to $174.2 million (£135 million). Despite earlier strike action over AI’s role in Hollywood films, the film has received positive reviews and is projected to perform better in its opening three days than Christopher Nolan’s previous blockbusters, such as Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Inception.
Source – bbc.com
