Barbie beats Batman! Barbie surpasses Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight at Monday box office

Move over Batman, Barbie is in town! Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has painted the world pink by breaking box office records left and right. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, embarking on an adventure in the Real World. And now, it’s just achieved a major milestone, surpassing a record that has stood for 15 years!

According to Variety Barbie had the best-ever Monday performance at the box office for a Warner Bros. movie, raking $26 million. This feat beats out Christopher Nolan’s beloved film, The Dark Knight, which held the record with $24.6 million.

The success of Barbie doesn’t stop there – it had the biggest opening of 2023 so far, raking in $362 million over the weekend. This feat becomes even more remarkable when considering it faced stiff competition from Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which still managed to collect $82 million.

With such an incredible opening, Barbie is on track to potentially become a member of the $1 billion box office club. It’s already surpassed $400 million worldwide, and the journey is far from over.

What’s the secret behind Barbie’s overwhelming success?

Aside from the obvious appeal of a movie based on one of the most known toys in the world, a unique phenomenon dubbed “Barbenheimer” played a crucial role. When it was announced that Barbie and Oppenheimer would be released on the same day, fans rallied around both films, turning them into competitors and sparking a viral sensation.

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Thousands of moviegoers purchased tickets for a Barbie and Oppenheimer double feature, turning this friendly rivalry into a celebration of cinema. This unexpected and delightful turn of events boosted both movies’ box office performance beyond expectations.

Of course, the film’s star-studded cast, with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling leading the way, certainly added to the excitement. Early reviews for Barbie were overwhelmingly positive, further driving audiences to theaters.