The Barbie movie has taken the box office by storm, grossing a remarkable $1 billion worldwide in just three weeks. This extraordinary achievement has made Greta Gerwig, the film’s director, the first-ever solo female filmmaker to reach such a significant milestone.
The makers of the movie celebrated this tremendous success by taking to Instagram to announce the news with a special post. They expressed their gratitude to the global audience, fondly referring to them as “our incredible Barbies and Kens,” for making their Barbie dreams come true. The film’s official Instagram account captioned the post, “Here’s to our incredible Barbies and Kens from all around the world for making our Barbie dreams come true. We’re excited to share that #BarbieTheMovie has hit $1 Billion at the Global Box Office.”
Right from its opening weekend, the movie demonstrated its commercial potential by collecting an impressive $356.2 million. As the weeks went by, Barbie’s popularity continued to soar, with its total gross reaching approximately $459 million in the US and an astounding $572 million internationally since its premiere on July 21.
During its run at the box office, Barbie faced a tough competitor in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer.’ However, Barbie emerged victorious by surpassing Oppenheimer’s earnings, although Nolan’s movie also performed well.
The film boasts a star-studded cast with Margot Robbie portraying Barbie and Ryan Gosling playing the iconic character of Ken. Both actors received a substantial paycheck of USD 12.5 million for their respective roles, highlighting the film’s significant investment in top talent.
Despite its massive success, Barbie did not escape controversy. It faced severe backlash for featuring a sensitive map of Southeast Asia, particularly the controversial nine-dash line. The nine-dash line, a U-shaped boundary claimed by China in the South China Sea, has been a source of territorial disputes with countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, who assert that it violates their sovereignty.
Despite this controversy, the film’s box office success and the achievements of its director, Greta Gerwig, cannot be understated. The movie’s engaging storyline, coupled with the brilliant performances of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, have clearly resonated with audiences worldwide.