Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” and Director Greta Gerwig Make History Together as the Box Office Sensation Passes a Billion Dollars Worldwide

By: Warner Bros. Pictures via Business Wire

August 06, 2023 at 12:30 PM EDT

With her globally embraced blockbuster topping $1 billion, visionary filmmaker Greta Gerwig becomes the first woman to achieve that milestone as a solo director

With no signs of slowing down, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” races past 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, with $459.4 million coming in from domestic theaters and $572.1 million overseas. 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.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230806603377/en/

BARBIE Celebrates Over $1 Billion Worldwide (Photo: Business Wire)

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. 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.”

Added Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, Co-Chairs & CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, “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 Studio 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.

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

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, alongside America Ferrera (“End of Watch,” the “How to Train Your Dragon” films), Kate McKinnon (“Bombshell,” “Yesterday”), Issa Rae (“The Photograph,” HBO’s “Insecure”), Rhea Perlman (“I’ll See You in My Dreams,” “Matilda”), and Will Ferrell (the “Anchorman” films, “Talladega Nights”). The film also stars Michael Cera (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Juno”), Ariana Greenblatt (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “65”), Ana Cruz Kayne (“Little Women”), Emma Mackey (“Emily,” “Sex Education”), Hari Nef (“Assassination Nation,” “Transparent”), Alexandra Shipp (the “X-Men” films), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami,” “Peaky Blinders”), Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”), Scott Evans (“Grace and Frankie”), Jamie Demetriou (“Cruella”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education,” “Emma.”), Sharon Rooney (“Dumbo,” “Jerk”), Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton,” “Derry Girls”), Ritu Arya (“The Umbrella Academy”), Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”).

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 nominees David Heyman (“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” “Marriage Story,” “Gravity”), Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey,” “Promising Young Woman,” “I, Tonya”), Tom Ackerley (“Promising Young Woman,” “I, Tonya”) and Robbie Brenner (“Dallas Buyers Club”), 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”), Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”), 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”), with a score 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 today’s hottest music artists, including 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.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Heyday Films Production, a LuckyChap Entertainment Production, an NB/GG Pictures Production, a Mattel Production, “Barbie.” The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

For downloadable general press information:

https://mediapass.warnerbros.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230806603377/en/

Contacts

For additional media inquiries, please contact:

Candice McDonough

candice.mcdonough@warnerbros.com

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Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” and Director Greta Gerwig Make History Together as the Box Office Sensation Passes a Billion Dollars Worldwide

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