‘Barbie’ beats ‘Oppenheimer’ in record-breaking, industry-revitalizing showdown

This “Barbie” just scored the biggest domestic opening weekend of 2023.

Marking a hot-pink, record-breaking bright spot for a film industry still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and now disrupted by two massive strikes, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” debuted in first place at the box office this weekend, earning $155 million in the United States and Canada. The PG-13 comedy easily defeated Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer,” which opened in second place with $80.5 million — an impressive number for an R-rated film — according to studio estimates.

In addition to notching the biggest launch of the year — ahead of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($146.4 million) — Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” also scored the best domestic debut of all time for a title directed by a woman, surpassing 2019’s “Captain Marvel” ($153 million).

The combined returns of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” helped make this the highest-grossing weekend since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, according to measurement firm Comscore, and the fourth-highest-grossing weekend ever at the domestic box office ($302 million).

Perhaps even more important is how those records were set.

Historically, the highest-grossing weekends have been primarily fueled by one major franchise installment dominating the market (“Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, “Avengers: Infinity War” in 2018, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015). This is the first time two competing movies have opened to more than $100 million and $80 million in the same frame. And unlike the aforementioned record-setters, neither “Barbie” nor “Oppenheimer” is a superhero movie, sequel or reboot — signaling a triumph for (relatively) original storytelling in an industry increasingly dependent on preexisting franchises.

That’s a huge deal, especially when you consider that — before “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — the domestic box office was lagging 16.1% and 6.6% behind the year-to-date earnings of 2019 and 2022, respectively, according to Comscore. And the record is unlikely to be beaten any time soon, as the ongoing strikes by Hollywood’s writers and actors will prevent talent from promoting forthcoming work.

Suffice it to say the film industry received a much-needed shot in the arm thanks to the cinematic, cultural phenomenon that is “Barbenheimer.” For months, people around the world have anticipated the simultaneous releases of Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” — two auteur-driven studio tentpoles so thematically opposed that movie fans have been fusing them in memes, posters, T-shirts, TikTok videos and now, theaters.

“There’s certainly some cross-pollination going on,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

“Film buffs will be created this weekend after maybe some people who had no intention to see ‘Barbie’ will now see that. Others who had no intention to see ‘Oppenheimer’ — because of ‘Barbenheimer’ — are going to want to see both. And that’s really cool.”

As of Sunday morning, it was clear that many thousands of moviegoers indeed had seen both — often back to back. AMC Theaters reported Friday that more than 60,000 loyalty program members had reserved tickets to watch “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day.

Cinemas across the country were packed with moviegoers dressed in bubblegum pink and/or charcoal costumes to celebrate the movie event of the summer. On social media, fans fervently debated which film they should watch first. (A self-professed Nolan fanatic, Dergarabedian opted to start with the grim “Oppenheimer” and chase it with “Barbie.”)

“It’s so rare,” said Dergarabedian, who couldn’t remember a dual-opening weekend generating this much collective buzz since 2000’s “The Patriot” and “The Perfect Storm.”

“I mean, this is marketing catnip. … To have this situation where you have these two films, linked together in this way … rival studios but yet having this sort of baked-in camaraderie here.”

Undoubtedly boosted by the popularity of the “Barbenheimer” double feature, the feminist flick about a doll come to life and the historical drama about the father of the atomic bomb over-performed in the United States and Canada. It also doesn’t hurt that both features boast marquee directors and A-list casts headlined by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) and Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”).

“This was a phenomenal experience for people who love movies on the big screen,” Michael O’Leary, president of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, said in a statement.

“It was a truly historic weekend and continues the positive box office momentum of 2023. More importantly, it proves once again that America loves going to the movies to see great films.”

And it’s not just ticket sales that matter in this industry-revitalizing moment.

“If you’re going to see that double feature … you’re going to be at the theater for a long time,” Dergarabedian said.

“That’s a lot of popcorn, a lot of soda, a lot of drinks, a lot of food, a lot of exposure to in-theater marketing and trailers. … It’s like the Super Bowl for movie theaters this weekend. And that’s going to be a really good thing … for the business moving forward.”

It’s worth noting that “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are more than commercial successes. Both movies have also fared exceedingly well with critics and audiences, which bodes well for their box-office futures.

“Barbie” notched a stellar 90% fresh rating on review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, while “Oppenheimer” came in even higher at 94%. Each picture received an A grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.

“We need to look at the long-term playability of both of these films, because they’re going to have … very different journeys to their final box-office result,” Dergarabedian said.

“‘Barbie’ certainly will be more front-loaded … But ‘Oppenheimer’ is going to build on it being a different type of summer-style movie. This feels like a movie that’s certainly gonna be recognized come awards season. So it’s going to have a very long life in the public consciousness.”

One important caveat on awards: The strikes have the potential to hinder Oscar campaigns for both films.

Although members of the Writers Guild of America have been on the picket lines for weeks, Warner Bros. and Universal lucked out with plenty of time to promote their respective titles before the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA dropped the other shoe on July 14. (Backed by Mattel, “Barbie” had a particularly robust marketing strategy involving viral character posters, custom dolls, a star-studded soundtrack and a real-life Malibu Dreamhouse.)

“They really got in under the wire in a sense, because their marketing message was so strong and so amplified,” Dergarabedian said.

Rounding out the top five at the domestic box office this weekend were Angel Studios’ “Sound of Freedom,” which grossed $20.1 million in its third frame for a North American total of $124.7 million; Paramount Pictures’ “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” which added $19.5 million in its sophomore outing for a North American cumulative of $118.8 million; and Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which earned $6.7 million in its fourth weekend for a North American haul of $159 million.

Opening in wide release next weekend are A24’s “Talk to Me,” GKIDS’ “The First Slam Dunk” and Disney’s “Haunted Mansion.”