‘Barbie’ Surpasses $1 Billion Globally After 17 Days of Release

Barbie is saying hiya to the billion-dollar club.

Greta Gerwigs pink-coated fantasy comedy has surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, including $459 million in North America and $572 million internationally. This makes Gerwig the first-ever solo female filmmaker with a billion-dollar film.

Three other billion-dollar blockbusters were co-directed by women, including Frozen ($1.3 billion) and Frozen 2 ($1.45 billion) both co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, as well as Captain Marvel ($1.1 billion), co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Barbie is hitting the coveted milestone after just 17 days of release, becoming the fastest Warner Bros. release (and eighth in the studios 100-year history) to join the $1 billion club. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 previously held that record at 19 days.

Its only the second blockbuster this year and the sixth of the pandemic-era to cross $1 billion, following Spider-Man: No Way Home, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion and Avatar: The Way of Water.

Its a good club to be in, Jeff Goldstein, the studios president of domestic distribution, said during a Sunday morning phone call.

In a note to press, Goldstein and Andrew Cripps, president of international distribution, admitted they are not often rendered speechless by a films performance. But Barbillion as theyve dubbed the box office milestone has blown even our most optimistic predictions out of the water.

This is a watershed moment for Barbie, and no one but Greta Gerwig could have brought this cross-generational icon and her world to life in such a funny, emotional and entertaining story, one that is resonating with all four quadrants of moviegoers and literally turning the entire world pink, Goldstein and Cripps said in the joint statement. Long lines and repeat viewings prove that movies are back in a big, big way, and we look forward to seeing just how far Barbie can go in the real world.

Thanks to zeitgeist-smashing buzz, Barbie has remained No. 1 at the box office for three consecutive weekends and thats despite competition from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Meg 2: The Trench and Oppenheimer. Its already the second-highest grossing movie of 2023, behind only Universal and Illuminations The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned $574 million domestically and $1.35 billion worldwide.

The rapturously reviewed Barbie opened on July 21 and smashed expectations with its $155 million domestic debut, ranking as the biggest opening weekend of 2023, as well as the best start for afilm directed by a woman.It arrived as a full-fledged phenomenon, thanks to the marketing campaign of the year and stellar word-of-mouth to match. There was also hype from Barbenheimer, the nickname for the twin release date with Christopher Nolans dark historical drama Oppenheimer.

Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Lady Bird and Little Women, co-wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star as the stereotypical versions of Barbie and Ken, who leave behind the Dreamhouse on a quest for self-discovery in the real world. Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Helen Mirren, John Cena and Will Ferrell round out the cast.

A massive achievement like this is possible when you have an incredible filmmaking team, with cast and crew coming together to create a truly special moviegoing experience, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. Greta now joins an elite group of writer-directors whose singular vision has generated $1 billion at the global box office, a milestone that is testament to her brilliance and to her commitment to deliver a movie that Barbie fans of every age want to see on the big screen.