Highlights
- “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have delivered astounding box office performances, setting a historic precedent with a three-day weekend where one movie opens to $100 million+ and another to $50 million+ for the first time ever.
- Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” wows with a staggering $70.5 million on Friday, including $22.3 million from previews, and is projected to achieve a groundbreaking $155 million+ domestic opening. It is expected to become the biggest domestic start ever for a film directed by a woman.
- Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a three-hour historical drama about the making of the atomic bomb, performs exceptionally well with $33 million on Friday, projecting a weekend gross of $77 million. It stands as Nolan’s third-biggest domestic debut.
- The combined ticket sales of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are estimated to cross $300 million, making it one of the biggest weekends at the box office since “Avengers: Endgame.”
- “Barbie” is also strutting to significant numbers in international markets, with a projected debut as high as $120 million.
- The success of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” reinvigorates the movie industry, which has been recovering from the pandemic’s impact.
- “Barbenheimer,” the phenomenon of both movies’ success, marks a significant milestone in cinema history.
- The films have garnered positive audience responses with A CinemaScores and have received favorable reviews from critics.
- “Barbie” is set to break several records, including the top opening of 2023, surpassing other major releases.
- “Oppenheimer” ranks as the third-biggest opening for a biographical film in North America, showcasing its strong appeal to audiences.
- The sizzling box office results come as a welcome respite amid the ongoing writers and actors strike, boosting the industry and providing hope for future film releases.
Intro: The summer box office experiences a game-changing event as Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” both surpass expectations with remarkable opening weekend numbers. “Barbie” roars with a phenomenal $70.5 million on Friday, while “Oppenheimer” follows closely with $33 million. The simultaneous success of these female-driven and historical drama films is being dubbed the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon.
Body: Filmmaker Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” bringing Mattel’s iconic fashion doll to life, makes a smashing debut with an astonishing $70.5 million on Friday, including $22.3 million from previews. Early projections suggest the Warner Bros. movie could achieve a historic $155 million+ domestic opening, a feat usually reserved for male-driven superhero films or marquee IPs. In certain international markets, “Barbie” is expected to hit a projected debut of $120 million.
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Not to be outdone, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a three-hour historical drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the making of the atomic bomb, also surpasses expectations with $33 million on Friday. The Universal film is projected to reach a weekend gross of $77 million, making it Nolan’s third-biggest domestic debut.
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are reshaping the box office landscape, marking the first three-day weekend in history with one movie opening to $100 million+ and another to $50 million+.
The success of “Barbie” is expected to grant Greta Gerwig the record for the biggest domestic start ever for a film directed by a solo woman, outshining Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.” Additionally, “Barbie” is set to secure the top opening of 2023, overtaking “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
Meanwhile, “Oppenheimer” stands as the third-biggest opening for a biographical film in North America, following “American Sniper” and “The Passion of the Christ.”
The combined ticket sales for both films are estimated to cross $300 million, marking one of the biggest weekends at the box office since “Avengers: Endgame.”
Outro: The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon provides a much-needed boost to the struggling movie industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic. Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” receive A CinemaScores from audiences and garner positive reviews from critics. Moviegoers are showing immense interest in watching both films as double features, further contributing to their success.
“Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” faces fierce competition from “Barbenheimer,” and “Sound of Freedom” continues to enjoy a strong weekend as an independent sleeper hit.
As Hollywood rejoices in the box office triumph of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” it remains to be seen how these record-breaking openings will impact future film releases and box office trends.
