'Barbie' Crosses $1 Billion At Box Office, Record For Solo Woman Director

Barbie, Warner Bros.' hit movie based on the popular doll, crossed $1 billion in global box-office sales in its third week in release, becoming only the second picture to hit that mark this year.

Warner Bros. said on Sunday the movie took in $53 million in the US and Canada in its third week, as well as an additional $74 million internationally. The movie has now made $459.4 million domestically and $1.03 billion on a worldwide basis.

The new tally makes Barbie the No. 2 film of the year behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie from Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures. That picture, released in April, has taken in $1.35 billion in ticket sales.

Two new films opened this week in the US. Meg 2: The Trench, also from Warner Bros., finished in second place with $30 million in ticket sales, according to estimates from Comscore Inc. Paramount Pictures' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem brought in $28 million to finish fourth behind Universal Pictures' Oppenheimer.

Barbie is delivering a much-needed boost to the studio's parent, Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., along with theater chains including AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and Cinemark Holdings Inc.. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film stars Margot Robbie in the title role and Ryan Gosling as Ken. Gerwig becomes the first woman with sole director credit to have a film pass the $1 billion mark, Warner Bros. said.

The picture was produced in partnership with Mattel Inc., the toymaker that makes and sells Barbie dolls.

Mattel Chief Executive Officer Ynon Kreiz, who's seeking a larger role in entertainment for his El Segundo, California-based company, said in a July 27 interview with Bloomberg TV that it's too early to confirm a sequel.

The company is looking to "create film franchises that have cultural resonance," he said. "The opportunity for Barbie is pretty obvious given the success of the Barbie movie."

Barbie opened on July 21, the same weekend as Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, creating a social media frenzy around the "Barbenheimer" meme.

"This shows that compelling stories that are well-executed and creatively marketed can capture the zeitgeist and get people excited," Gabelli Funds' analysts Hanna Howard and Paul Fanelli said an emailed statement.

The Barbie soundtrack, featuring songs by artists such as Lizzo and Dua Lipa, is also doing well for Warner Music Group, they said.

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