How Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” Is Making History

Oscar nominated director Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is already making history, and its box office run has just started.

From the way this film was promoted, the incredible cast of actors and the amount of hype surrounding not only Barbie but its partner movie released on the same day, “Oppenheimer”, it was a guarantee that audiences would be flocking to see the Barbie Movie. What even Gerwig could not see coming was the fact that Barbie has exceeded all expectations when it comes to the film and when it comes to the box office.

We are witnessing history in real time. Barbie’s financial sucess is a bigger achievement than most would realise. Gerwig’s Barbie has surpassed $500 Million globally in less than a week. The film is tracking to make a billion dollars, if it does it would be a monumental moment in cinema. We normally see box office numbers in the billions reserved for major movie franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar etc. If Barbie can surpass the 1 Billion mark it would also be the first time a film helmed by a woman would reach that feat.

Executive producer and Oscar nominated actress Margot Robbie who stars as Barbie told Collider about how she pitched Barbie to Warner Bros. “The studios have prospered so much when they’re brave enough to pair a big idea with a visionary director. I told them that it’d make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!”

The film follows Stereotypical Barbie and a wide range of fellow Barbies who all reside in Barbieland, a matriarchal society where all women are self-confident, self-sufficient, and successful. While their Ken counterparts spend their days engaging in recreational activities at the beach, the Barbies hold all important job positions such as doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Beach Ken is only happy when he is with Barbie. Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence. She must travel into the real world and find the child playing with her, but what she finds is not at all what she expected. When things start to change in Barbieland, Barbie and her new friends have to band together to save their home.

The Barbie Movie is hilariously entertaining. Full of whimsical characters. The story is full of incredibly deep and inspiring moments as well. It ends up being a sweet story between a mother and a daughter. Greta Gerwig shines a harsh light on the reality of being a women in the modern world while still keeping this a fun movie with a unique story. Barbie proves not every film needs a love interest. This amazing cast shines throughout the film.

Barbie was originally projected to draw in $150 million in the U.S. and another $150 million internationally through its opening weekend, the film ended up drawing in $155 million in the U.S. over the weekend, surpassing “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” which is currently the highest grossing movie of the year.

“We have a pink unicorn here,” says Jeff Goldstein, the president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. “We thought it would be $75 million for the opening weekend. Nobody saw $155 million coming. This doll has long legs.”