Barbie, the summer blockbuster directed by Greta Gerwig, has achieved another milestone by surpassing $500 million in ticket sales in the United States. The film has been a major success, grossing $502.6 million domestically and nearly $1.1 billion globally. These figures far exceed the reported budget of $145 million.
Barbie currently holds the title of the second highest-grossing movie of the year, trailing behind the Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has earned just over $574 million in domestic ticket sales. This week alone, Barbie is estimated to have earned over $40 million, solidifying its lead over other popular films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Despite facing competition from other recent releases such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Meg 2: The Trench, which have collectively earned over $100 million since their August debuts, Barbie has maintained its momentum.
It took Barbie just 22 days to reach the $500 million mark in domestic sales, demonstrating its strong appeal and popularity among moviegoers. This success has also had a positive impact on AMC Theaters, which experienced a 15.6% increase in revenue, reaching $1.35 billion in the second quarter. The theater chain reported its highest quarterly attendance in years.
Barbie's success can be attributed, in part, to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, which encouraged audiences to watch Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer on the same day. While Nolan's thriller did not match Barbie's numbers, it still ranks sixth in global box office sales this year, earning over $577 million.
Overall, Barbie has proven to be a massive hit both domestically and globally, surpassing the $1 billion mark at the box office. This achievement is a significant victory for Mattel and has generated positive publicity for the brand.