NEW YORK – Barbie, a comedy about the famous fashion doll, brought out movie fans in droves this weekend, delivering the kind of blockbuster that theatres and Hollywood studios used to routinely expect from their summer films.
The Warner Bros release was the top picture in US and Canadian cinemas, taking in US$155 million (S$206 million) in ticket sales, the studio said in a statement on Sunday. That also gave it the highest-grossing debut of the year, edging past the US$146.4 million haul from April’s The Super Mario Bros Movie.
The film made its debut the same weekend as Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan’s biography of the inventor of the atomic bomb.
An estimated 200,000-plus moviegoers bought tickets to see both new releases on the same day at chains such as AMC Entertainment Holdings and Cineworld Group’s Regal, a phenomenon dubbed “Barbenheimer”.
The simultaneous releases energised theatre goers and likely added to one of the best weekend box offices in years.
The films are a bright spark in an otherwise difficult summer for the film industry, which has suffered disappointing results from big-budget movies such as The Flash and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny.
Barbie, which was directed by Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie in the title role, was expected to generate between US$140 million and US$175 million in its domestic debut, according to industry tracker Boxoffice Pro.
Forecasts rose sharply in recent weeks as the picture enjoyed a surge in media attention.
The picture pokes fun at the history of the doll while addressing criticisms about her unrealistic figure and materialistic nature. It follows the character as she breaks out of the perfect world created by toymaker Mattel and into one with real people on whom the doll has had an impact.
Barbie was heavily promoted, even by Hollywood standards, including a life-size replica of her Dreamhouse in Malibu, California, and giant pink boxes in theatres in which fans could have their photo taken.
Many cinemagoers, including adults, wore pink or dressed like characters from the film.
Ryan Gosling, appearing as Barbie’s boyfriend Ken, brought a comedic element that likely resonated with fans who might not otherwise have wanted to see a film about a fashion doll, according to Mr Robert Marich, author of Marketing to Moviegoers: A Handbook of Strategies and Tactics. This was evident in trailers and other promotions.
“The Ken marketing was hilarious,” he said.
The success of the picture is also a victory for El Segundo, California-based Mattel, which is seeking to adapt a sprawling roster of toy brands from Hot Wheels to Barney into film and TV properties.
Oppenheimer also had a lot going for it. Director Nolan’s new picture has a three-week lock on Imax theatres domestically, likely taking business from Tom Cruise’s latest Mission: Impossible film, which was released on July 12. BLOOMBERG
