Greta Gerwig became the first female director to have a massive hit for a movie crossing 331 million dollars. Her success will undoubtedly help up-and-coming female directors.
“Barbie” didn’t just break the opening weekend record for 2023. It also shattered the first-weekend record for a female director.
With $162 million in ticket sales from North American theaters, according to studio totals Monday. “Barbie” catapulted past both “Captain Marvel.” Which was co-directed by Anna Boden and opened to $153.4 million in 2019. And “Wonder Woman,” Patty Jenkins ’ 2017 film debuted to $103.3 million. Boasting a reported price tag of $145 million, “Barbie” also cost less to produce than “Captain Marvel” ($152 million) and “Wonder Woman” ($200 million).
Globally, it far surpassed “Wonder Woman’s” debut with over $337 million versus $228.3 million. Though “Captain Marvel’s” global launch was higher at $455 million,
Gerwig co-wrote and directed “Barbie” which is intended to be the first of many Mattel-inspired spinoffs. And in just one weekend it’s already surpassed the domestic grosses her last two films, “Little Women,” which earned $108.1 million and “Lady Bird,” with $49 million. In 2018, Gerwig also made history by becoming the fifth woman to be nominated for the best director Oscar (for “Lady Bird” ). As of 2023, there have now been seven women nominated for best director. And some are already predicting that Gerwig will notch another nod for next year’s ceremony.
Future of Industry
“Barbie” and Gerwig’s success was celebrated widely online with many in Hollywood pausing to reflect on the moment. Reese Witherspoon posted “way to go, GG!” on Instagram, while director Ry Russo-Young wrote that “‘Barbie’. Its success looms as a beacon of hope” amid the strikes and widely shut-down productions.
Warner Bros. selected this weekend to launch Barbie, not to go head-to-head with Christopher Nolan. Who used to make movies with them, but rather to space the Mattel movie away from other family films on the summer sked. The third weekend in July has always been a special one for Nolan. It’s where he launched Dark Knight back in 2008 for $158M. Nolan also launched Dunkirk, Dark Knight Rises, and Inception. Nonetheless, a great girls vs. boys battle at the box office with movies that have singular titles.