The 2023 *Barbie* film made a significant impact on the cinematic landscape, achieving remarkable financial success and setting numerous box office records. Released in the United States on July 21, 2023, the movie quickly became a global phenomenon, grossing an impressive $1.448 billion worldwide. This monumental achievement positioned it as the highest-grossing film of 2023 and, at the time of its release, the 14th highest-grossing film of all time.
Its success was particularly notable given its concurrent release with Universal Pictures' *Oppenheimer*, a pairing that sparked the "Barbenheimer" cultural event, encouraging audiences to view both films as a double feature.
Setting New Industry Benchmarks
*Barbie*'s financial performance was described as "record-breaking" during its opening weekend. It established a new record for any film that was not a sequel, remake, or superhero property, demonstrating its unique appeal and broad audience engagement. The film also shattered previous records for live-action comedies, becoming the highest-grossing live-action comedy film of all time. Domestically, it surpassed the record previously held by *Home Alone* (1990), while globally, it outstripped *The Hangover Part II* (2011).
This success was also a personal triumph for its director, Greta Gerwig, as *Barbie* became her highest-grossing film, significantly overtaking her previous work, *Little Women* (2019). The film's ability to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide by August 6, 2023, was another historic moment, making it the only film by a solo female director to achieve this milestone. Furthermore, it was the fastest Warner Bros. film to reach $1 billion, beating the record held by *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2* (2011). By late August, *Barbie* had surpassed *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2* again, becoming Warner Bros.'s highest-grossing film, not adjusted for inflation. By September 2, the film's global box office total exceeded $1.365 billion, replacing *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* as the highest-grossing film of the year. It also became the highest-grossing film by a solo female director, surpassing the record previously held by Jia Ling for *Hi, Mom* (2021).
Domestic and International Reception
In the United States and Canada, *Barbie* was initially projected to gross between $90 million and $125 million from 4,243 theaters in its opening weekend. Warner Bros. had predicted a $75 million debut. However, the film far exceeded these expectations, earning $70.5 million on its opening day, which included $22.3 million from Wednesday and Thursday night previews—both the best of 2023. Its opening weekend gross of $162 million marked the largest opening since *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* in November 2022. This also represented the biggest opening ever for a film helmed by a female director, surpassing *Captain Marvel* (2019).
The film's domestic success extended to its lead actors, with Margot Robbie's highest opening weekend surpassing *Suicide Squad* (2016) and Ryan Gosling's largest opening weekend exceeding *Blade Runner 2049* (2017). It secured the third-highest July opening weekend at the time, behind *The Lion King* (2019) and *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2*. For Warner Bros., it was the third-highest opening weekend, following *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2* and *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice* (2016). *Barbie* also achieved the biggest opening for a film based on a toy, outperforming *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* (2009), and dethroned *The Secret Life of Pets* (2016) for the biggest non-sequel July opening weekend. Upon its release, *Barbie* immediately claimed the number one spot at the box office, surpassing *Oppenheimer*, *Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One*, and *Sound of Freedom*.
While *Barbie* enjoyed immense success in many regions, its performance varied internationally. In South Korea, where it opened on July 19, 2023, the film underperformed, recording around 81,000 admissions and earning $667,000 between July 28 and 30, finishing fifth at the box office. This underperformance was attributed to factors such as animosity against feminist messages, the lack of popularity of Barbie dolls in South Korea, and cultural differences. A film critic noted that the film's later half, which preaches about sexual discrimination, might be hard for South Koreans to accept. A producer from South Korea also expressed difficulty understanding the film's global appeal, stating that Barbie was "never our toy." In Japan, *Barbie* ranked 16th, with public opinion soured by the official *Barbie* film Twitter account's positive response to "Barbenheimer" memes depicting atomic bombing mushroom clouds, which was seen as insensitive given Japan's history. Despite these regional challenges, *Barbie* earned over $32 million in China by August 2023, contributing to its overall global dominance.
