Greta Gerwig’s film “Barbie” maintains its unyielding grip on the top spot at the box office for the fourth consecutive week. According to studio estimates released on Sunday, the Margot Robbie-led and produced film amassed an impressive $33.7 million in its latest week.
The astounding performance of Barbie defies the usual trend of box office champions diminishing over time. “Barbie” remains resilient in 4,137 theatres. Remarkably, it has surpassed the remarkable milestone of $500 million in North America alone. Just a week after achieving the remarkable distinction of crossing the $1 billion global mark. Moreover, this international triumph sets a new record for a film directed by a woman.
“Oppenheimer” Regains No. 2 Spot
In its fourth week, the second part of the “Barbenheimer” duo, aptly titled “Oppenheimer,” reclaims the No. 2 spot after a brief stint at No. 3. The film, directed by Christopher Nolan and distributed by Universal Pictures. Indeed, garnered $18.8 million from 3,761 theatres, resulting in a cumulative domestic total of $264.3 million.
Light Competition Highlights Dominance
The competition during this period proved rather modest. The week’s major wide release, Universal’s “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” debuted in fifth place. Along with, achieving an opening weekend tally of $6.5 million.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” in its second week, secured third place with $15.6 million domestically. Meanwhile, the sequel to the Jason Statham-led shark thriller, “Meg 2: The Trench.” It generated $12.7 million in its second week, dropping from second to fifth place.
The sustained dominance of the Mattel-inspired film, “Barbie.” Moreover, showcases its ability to reshape the narrative of what had been a relatively subdued year for theatres. The triumphs of major sequels, including “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part I.” These have been overshadowed by the continued success of “Barbie.”
Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, remarked on the phenomenon, stating, “‘Barbie’ is as hot a commodity as it was in its first week. It’s just ensconced at the No. 1 spot, and I don’t know if it’s going anywhere soon. And Oppenheimer is right there with it. They’re just drafting off each other in this box office NASCAR race.”
Unprecedented Heights for “Barbie”
“Barbie” is poised to secure the coveted title of 2023’s highest-grossing film. With an astounding domestic total of $526.3 million and a global haul of $1.18 billion, the film currently holds the second position behind “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which accumulated $574.2 million in North America and $1.358 billion globally. Additionally, “Barbie” stands as the second-highest grossing film in Warner Bros. history, second only to 2011’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”
As the momentum of “Barbie” persists, it reshapes the landscape of the film industry, overturning expectations and breathing life into a year that initially appeared lacklustre in the world of cinema.
