With no signs of slowing down, the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie has passed the billion-dollar mark over the weekend, just 17 days in release in North America and most international markets, taking in a record-smashing $1.0315 billion worldwide.
Of the worldwide total, $459.4 million has come from domestic theaters and $572.1 million from overseas markets.
The widely acclaimed box office juggernaut and cultural phenomenon has also launched filmmaker Greta Gerwig into the record books as the first woman to surpass that benchmark as a solo director.
The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, for Warner Bros. Pictures.
In making the announcement, Goldstein and Cripps stated, “As distribution chiefs, we’re not often rendered speechless by a film’s performance, but Barbillion has blown even our most optimistic predictions out of the water.
“This is a watershed moment for Barbie, and no one but Greta Gerwig could have brought this cross-generational icon and her world to life in such a funny, emotional and entertaining story, one that is resonating with all four quadrants of moviegoers and literally turning the entire world pink.”
They added: “Long lines and repeat viewings prove that movies are back in a big, big way, and we look forward to seeing just how far Barbie can go in the real world.”
Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, Co-Chairs & CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, commented: “A massive achievement like this is possible when you have an incredible filmmaking team, with cast and crew coming together to create a truly special moviegoing experience.
“Along with our partners at Mattel, and with the support of the entire Warner Bros. Discovery family, we are thrilled that audiences the world over are embracing the Barbie movie in such a profound way.
“With Barbie becoming the biggest film at the summer box office, Greta now joins an elite group of writer/directors whose singular vision has generated $1 billion at the global box office, a milestone that is testament to her brilliance and to her commitment to deliver a movie that Barbie fans of every age want to see on the big screen.”
Since the film’s hugely anticipated debut, it has continued to smash every Warner Bros. benchmark that preceded it, including all-time daily, weekly and weekend highs, as well being the fastest to reach $400 million domestically and $500 million internationally.
From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird) comes Barbie, starring Oscar nominees Margot Robbie (Bombshell, I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken.
Robbie and Gosling star alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, and Jamie Demetriou.
The cast is rounded out by Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa, and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story, The Squid and the Whale), based on Barbie by Mattel.
The film’s producers are Oscar nominee David Heyman (Marriage Story, Gravity), Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, with with Gerwig, Baumbach, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.
Gerwig’s creative team behind the camera included Oscar-nominated director of photography Rodrigo Prieto (The Irishman, Silence, Brokeback Mountain), Oscar-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood (Beauty and the Beast, Anna Karenina), and Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Little Women, Anna Karenina).
The team also included editor Nick Houy (Little Women, Lady Bird), visual effects supervisor Glen Pratt (Paddington 2, Beauty and the Beast) and music supervisor George Drakoulias (White Noise, Marriage Story).
The score is by Oscar winners Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt (A Star Is Born), who also contributed to numerous songs on the film’s soundtrack. The soundtrack includes an impressive roster of music artists, including Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua, Charli XCX, KAROL G feat. Aldo Ranks, Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, HAIM, The Kid LAROI, Khalid, PinkPantheress, GAYLE, Ava Max, FIFTY FIFTY and more.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.