Barbie Film Adaptation Breaks Multiple Box Office Records, Including Largest Toy-themed Movie Opening (2023)

Barbie, from Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig, and starring starring Oscar nominees Margot Robbie (Little Women, Lady Bird) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken, opens in movie theaters on Friday, July 21st, 2023, breaking multiple opening weekend box office records. Warner Bros. Pictures’ Barbie arrived in theaters to a record-shattering $337 million worldwide, taking in $155 million domestically and $182 million in international markets. The announcement was made on Monday, July 24rd, 2023 by Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, for Warner Bros.

Propelled by massive anticipation, widespread critical praise, a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes Critics rating of 90% with a matching Audience Score and an A CinemaScore, the film debuted on 4,200 North American screens, drawing unprecedented crowds in preview showings and throughout the weekend.

In the U.S., Barbie holds the record for the largest opening weekend, pre-shows and single grossing day of 2023, as well as the largest opening for a female-directed film, as of July 2023.

Barbie opened at international theaters beginning Wednesday, July 19th, 2023, and took the #1 spot in 55 markets. The film is now the biggest industry opening in 2023 in 18 of those markets, including Australia, Brazil and the UK, and set the record for the biggest Warner Bros. Pictures opening of all time in 16 markets, including Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

Globally, the film marks the largest opening for Greta Gerwig as a director, as well as for actors Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and nearly every actor in the film, as well as the biggest opening for a movie based on a toy.

From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird) comes Barbie, starring Oscar nominees Margot Robbie (Bombshell, I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera (End of Watch, the How to Train Your Dragon films), Kate McKinnon (Bombshell, Yesterday), Issa Rae (The Photograph, HBO’s Insecure), Rhea Perlman (I’ll See You in My Dreams, Matilda), and Will Ferrell (the Anchorman films, Talladega Nights). The film also stars Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Juno), Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War, 65), Ana Cruz Kayne (Little Women), Emma Mackey (Emily, Sex Education), Hari Nef (Assassination Nation, Transparent), Alexandra Shipp (the X-Men films), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami, Peaky Blinders), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education), Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie), Jamie Demetriou (Cruella), Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Emma.), Sharon Rooney (Dumbo, Jerk), Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls), Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy), Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (The Queen).