In a cinematic showdown, Greta Gerwig’s latest masterpiece, ‘Barbie’, has outshone ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ in North American earnings and is poised to continue its winning streak globally.
After just 34 days since its premiere, Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ effortlessly climbed to the pinnacle of the 2023 box office chart, collecting a whopping $575.4 million in North America. In comparison, the widely acclaimed ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’, a production of Universal and Illumination, took 140 days to garner a close $574.3 million domestically.
Yet, the face-off between these two film giants isn’t wrapped up. ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ currently holds the worldwide top earner title for the year, boasting earnings of $1.36 billion. This impressive figure places it 15th on the grand list of the highest-grossing movies ever, without considering inflation.
However, ‘Barbie’ is hot on its heels. The film’s current worldwide earnings stand at $1.3 billion and are predicted to surpass ‘Super Mario’ by the dawn of September. With this momentum, the Margot Robbie-starring film, which brings to life the legendary toy, is setting its trajectory to outpace ‘Frozen II’ and its $1.43 billion global earnings. If successful, ‘Barbie’ will clinch the title of the most successful film—be it live-action or animation—helmed by a female director. This comes after ‘Barbie’ recently surpassed the original ‘Frozen’s’ earnings of $1.28 billion.
Greta Gerwig has carved her name in the history of cinema. She stands tall as the top-earning female director for live-action films globally and retains the crown for the highest-grossing female director domestically. To top it off, within its initial 17-day run, ‘Barbie’ was the first solo female-directed live-action film to enter the coveted global billion-dollar club.
The future is still gleaming bright for ‘Barbie’. Industry pundits predict its theatrical reign might extend for weeks, possibly till year-end, especially with potential shifts in movie release schedules due to the ongoing strikes by writers and actors.
Adding more sparkle to its journey, Warner Bros. unveiled on Aug. 24 that fans will get a chance to experience ‘Barbie’ in Imax theaters. This special week-long showcase starts on Sept. 22, where audiences can enjoy exclusive post-credit scenes handpicked by Gerwig.
Reflecting on the global adoration for ‘Barbie’, a grateful Gerwig remarked, “The worldwide appreciation for ‘Barbie’ is deeply touching and humbling. Our vision was to craft ‘Barbie’ for the cinema, so bringing it to Imax, the grandest of screens, is truly exhilarating.”
