Barbie Is Already Margot Robbie's Second-Best Movie Ever At The Box Office
No one quite expected "Barbie" to turn into the seat-filling, cultural phenomenon that it did — least of all director Greta Gerwig. "I'm so grateful. I'm so amazed. I'm at a loss for words, really," she told the New York Times in a state of disbelief. "But honestly, it's been amazing to walk around and see people in pink. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine something like this."
In the short time since it debuted in theaters on July 21, "Barbie" has grossed over $470 million worldwide, blowing away the competition at the box office. For comparison, Gerwig's last film, "Little Women," grossed roughly $219 million in its lifetime run.
That's a significant pay bump for Gerwig, who cut her teeth in the world of mumblecore and other indie fare. Now, she's earned the bragging rights of the biggest opening weekend for any female director. But it is also nothing to sneeze at for star Margot Robbie, who is one of Hollywood's highest-paid performers. The "Barbie" box office total is, as of this writing, only surpassed by one other Margot project: "Suicide Squad." Released in 2016, the villain-centric DCEU film earned a worldwide box office total of roughly $747 million.
Barbie is making bank with the critical acclaim to back it up
When "Suicide Squad" broke August opening records in 2016, it was an impressive feat, albeit not that surprising. Superhero movies have long maintained box office supremacy, and the genre is home to some of the highest-grossing movies of all time, including "Endgame," "Infinity War," and "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
"Suicide Squad," however, managed to make bank despite dismal reviews. "In a word, 'Suicide Squad' is trash," Joe Morgenstern wrote for The Wall Street Journal. "In two words, it's ugly trash." The film's Rotten Tomatoes score sits at a dismal 26%, and the audience score, while a little more generous, doesn't fare much better at 58%. Most praise was reserved for Margot Robbie's performance as the delightfully unhinged Harley Quinn.
"Barbie" may not have eclipsed "Suicide Squad" at the box office, but it stands apart for being both financially successful and a critically acclaimed hit — two boxes that aren't always ticked off at once. As of this writing, "Barbie" boasts a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, with an equally enviable 86% audience score.
The film's upward climb is showing no signs of stopping, and Forbes predicts that "Barbie" is on pace to hit $500 million in its first week in theaters.