{"id":3969,"date":"2023-07-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/natixis.ezine.intercountry.com\/?p=3969"},"modified":"2023-07-27T07:46:13","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T05:46:13","slug":"with-barbie-greta-gerwig-breaks-a-box-office-record-for-female-directors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/natixis.ezine.intercountry.com\/index.php\/2023\/07\/27\/with-barbie-greta-gerwig-breaks-a-box-office-record-for-female-directors\/","title":{"rendered":"With ‘Barbie,’ Greta Gerwig breaks a box office record for female directors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Read time : 4 mins <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Level : Intermediate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Margot Robbie, left, and writer\/director\/executive producer Greta Gerwig arrive at the premiere of “Barbie” on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbie\u201d didn’t just break the opening weekend record for 2023; It also shattered the first weekend record for a film directed by a woman.<\/p>\n

With $162 million in ticket sales from North American theaters, according to studio totals Monday, \u201cBarbie\u201d catapulted past both \u201cCaptain Marvel,\u201d which was co-directed by Anna Boden and opened to $153.4 million in 2019, and \u201cWonder Woman,\u201d Patty Jenkins ‘ 2017 film that debuted to $103.3 million. Boasting a reported price tag of $145 million, \u201cBarbie\u201d also cost less to produce than \u201cCaptain Marvel\u201d ($152 million) and \u201cWonder Woman\u201d ($200 million).<\/p>\n

Globally, it far surpassed \u201cWonder Woman’s\u201d debut with over $337 million versus $228.3 million, though \u201cCaptain Marvel’s\u201d global launch was higher at $455 million.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbie’s\u201d debut, $7 million higher than estimated on Sunday, is also significant because its audience was 65% women \u2014 not a surprise in and of itself, but as far as box office history is concerned, movies that open over $100 million often have a majority male audience (including both \u201cCaptain Marvel\u201d and \u201cWonder Woman\u201d). This, many have noted, is perhaps less a rule and more of a lack of big films that have been made and promoted with a blockbuster female audience in minds.<\/p>\n

A close, but imperfect comparison is \u201cFifty Shades of Grey,\u201d which was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, and made $85 million in its first three days. The R-rated adaptation opened on Presidents Day weekend in 2017 for a five-day haul of $93 million.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbie\u201d also earned the title of the third biggest July debut ever, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s \u201cThe Dark Knight\u201d and \u201cThe Dark Knight Rises\u201d \u2014 not adjusted for inflation \u2014 and trailing only the live-action \u201cThe Lion King\u201d and \u201cHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gerwig co-wrote and directed \u201cBarbie\u201d 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, \u201cLittle Women,\u201d which earned $108.1 million and \u201cLady Bird,\u201d with $49 million. In 2018, Gerwig also made history by becoming the fifth woman to be nominated for the best director Oscar (for \u201cLady Bird\u201d ). 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbie\u201d and Gerwig’s success was celebrated widely online with many in Hollywood pausing to reflect on the moment. Reese Witherspoon posted \u201cway to go, GG!\u201d on Instagram, while director Ry Russo-Young wrote that \u201c’Barbie’ and its success looms<\/span> as a beacon of hope\u201d amid<\/span> the strikes and widely shut-down productions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s wildly<\/span> original, feminist, giant in scope and swing, and feels singular to a perspective,\u201d Russo-Young wrote. \u201cThese are rare qualities for big movies these days. I hope to see more made like this in the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filmmaker Nancy Meyers also celebrated the \u201ctriumph\u201d on Instagram, but bristled at the focus on the glass ceiling<\/span> aspect asking if \u201cChristopher Nolan has ever once in his life been referred to as a male director.\u201d Meyers and Nolan are among only a handful<\/span> of writer-directors who have had two or more of their original films gross over $100 million domestically.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ accomplished something so profound,\u201d Melissa Silverstein, the founder of the blog Women and Hollywood and the artistic director of the Athena Film Festival, wrote in an email Monday. \u201cThe fact that she made a funny, entertaining feminist critique and broke so many box office records with a movie about a doll that has been such a lightning rod in our culture is a monumental feat that should not be underestimated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now it’s a question of how high \u201cBarbie\u201d can go and if it can outgross other top films directed by women. In North America, to get the No. 1 spot, \u201cBarbie\u201d will have to earn more than \u201cFrozen II,\u201d co-directed by Jennifer Lee, which tallied out with $477.4 million. \u201cCaptain Marvel\u201d is in second place with $426.8 million.<\/p>\n

With good reviews and audience scores in its arsenal, word-of-mouth enthusiasm and watercooler buzz, as well as no direct new competition on the calendar, it’s likely that \u201cBarbie\u201d will have \u201clong legs,\u201d a common phrase in the exhibition business that means a movie will continue selling significant numbers of tickets far past its opening weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis film is working everywhere,\u201d said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ head<\/span> of domestic distribution. ‘This historic result reflects the intense heat, interest and enthusiasm for ‘Barbie.’\u201c<\/p>