Barbie and Oppenheimer have shattered box office records as their highly-anticipated movies premiered in theaters this weekend. Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan, the respective directors of these films, have also made history with their groundbreaking releases.
Gerwig’s fuchsia-hued comedy and Nolan’s lengthy biopic were both unveiled on Friday and drew massive crowds, with some fans even watching both movies back-to-back. While specific figures for the UK and US markets are yet to be disclosed, global estimates and US box office numbers reveal that numerous records have already been broken.
Barbie claimed the top spot in the box office charts by earning a staggering $155 million (£120m) in North American cinemas, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie and securing the biggest opening weekend of the year. Additionally, Gerwig now holds the record for the highest first weekend takings by a movie directed by a woman.
On the other hand, Oppenheimer grossed $80.5 million (£60m), marking Nolan’s most successful non-Batman debut and one of the top openings for an R-rated biopic. This weekend also marked the first time in history that two movies opened with more than $100 million and $80 million, respectively, in the same weekend.
Internationally, Barbie raked in $182 million (£142m) from 69 territories, resulting in a global first weekend total of $337 million (£262m) in box office revenue. Oppenheimer also performed remarkably well, earning over $93.7 million (£73m) from 78 territories, bringing its global total to $174.2 million (£136m).
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer received widespread acclaim from critics, who have already predicted potential award nominations for Ryan Gosling and Cillian Murphy. Despite Barbie’s recent release, Gerwig has wasted no time in embarking on her next ambitious literary adaptation.
Note: Additional reporting by AP.
