‘Barbie’ Surpasses ‘The Dark Knight’ in Record-Shattering Monday Box Office Sales

A CLOSER LOOK
The box office continues to be dominated by Barbie, which raked in $26.1 million on Monday, breaking records for Warner Bros. The film’s remarkable debut weekend brought in $162 million domestically, exceeding projections for a film led by a female and establishing a milestone for a female director. The flourishing success of Barbie is expected to persist, with forecasts suggesting that the film will cross the $200 million mark domestically, possibly reaching $500 million in a single week. Ryan Gosling’s performance is also drawing accolades, positioning him for potential awards recognition.

It seems Christopher Nolan’s most formidable competitor isn’t the demise of practical effects or the emergence of digital cinema, but rather, a plastic doll. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie recently shattered a box office record previously held by Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

Barbie shows no signs of slowing down, with the film seemingly residing in a luxurious house constructed of money. The pink-tinged cinematic spectacle amassed an additional $26.1 million at the domestic box office on Monday, marking the highest Monday in Warner Bros. history and setting another record for Gerwig, who now boasts the most lucrative Monday for a female director. Barbie also eclipsed Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which garnered $24.5 million on its opening Monday in 2008.

It’s hard to capture the astonishing phenomenon and box office sensation that Barbie, and indeed Nolan’s Oppenheimer, is demonstrating. Over the weekend, it made history by debuting with a staggering $162 million in domestic box office earnings—a milestone often associated with male-led superhero movies or major intellectual properties such as Warner Bros.’ final Harry Potter installment. Furthermore, the film’s extraordinary debut set the record for the highest-ever opening by a female director.

image via Warner Bros

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‘Barbie’ & ‘Oppenheimer’ Propel Fourth-Largest Box Office Weekend in History

Unstoppable Barbenheimer Effect

Owing to the “Barbenheimer” effect, both Barbie and Oppenheimer surpassed the estimations of box office forecasters. Barbie significantly outperformed its predicted $90 to $110 million revenue forecast, and alongside the explosive success of Oppenheimer, played a crucial role in delivering the fourth-largest box office weekend in cinematic history, trailing only the cultural and box office giants Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Barbie is projected to exceed $200 million domestically tomorrow when official figures are released, having already amassed $356.3 million in its opening three days. The film seems destined to become this year’s second $1 billion-grossing movie, falling behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and could potentially touch the $500 million threshold within a week of its release. Barbie’s success is also being fueled by positive word of mouth, with Ryan Gosling’s performance receiving particular praise. Gosling is highly anticipated to receive awards recognition next year, and is projected to receive a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Barbie is currently screening in theaters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Barbie Box Office Success

More about Barbie Box Office Success

• Barbie Movie Breaks Records
• Greta Gerwig’s Directorial Success
• Barbie Vs. The Dark Knight
• Ryan Gosling’s Performance in Barbie
• The “Barbenheimer” Effect