Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures image)
July 21, 2023
Warner Bros.’ adult comedy Barbie, based on Mattel’s Barbie and Ken dolls, and director Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a historical biopic on J. Robert Oppenheimer, dubbed “the father of the atomic bomb,” are both poised for theatrical success over the weekend despite their widely diverging themes.
Barbie, co-starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and directed by Greta Gerwig, and Oppenheimer, featuring Cillian Murphy as the titular nuclear physicist, generated $22 million and $10 million, respectively, in sneak Thursday previews, suggesting strong box office debuts for each film through the July 23 weekend. The Barbie results are the best for any theatrical pre-release thus far in 2023.
Heading into the weekend, online buzz for Barbie and Oppenheimer is trending around the term “Barbenheimer,” implying a rising social media waterline that could elevate both movies’ weekend ticket sales. While some media reports are suggesting a $200 million-plus combined weekend box office for the two movies, Warner Bros. is projecting an opening North American box office of around $75 million for Barbie — targeting largely female moviegoers.
Box Office Pro estimates Barbie and Oppenheimer could tally $158.5 million and $65 million, respectively, across North American screens through Sunday.
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The new entrants are projected to push aside last weekend’s hit, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, with the seventh release in the franchise only expected to sell another $25 million in tickets through its sophomore weekend. That’s just ahead of overachieving Sound of Freedom, Angel Studios’ faith-based, child trafficking drama that is estimated to generate $21 million in revenue in its third weekend — upping the movie’s North American tally above $125 million and comparable to Mission: Impossible.