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In just 17 days, the Margot Robbie starrerBarbiehas crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office. With this, director Greta Gerwig became the first solo female director to have a film in the prestigious billion-dollar club. The film is now the second-highest-grossing film of the year, coming up behind the Chris Pratt-starring animated filmSuper Mario Bros.
Barbiehas beaten coveted IPs at the box office such as theGuardians of the Galaxy: Vol.3, The Little Mermaid,andTransformers: Rise of the Beasts. It also toppledThe Flash, a highly anticipated film that bombed at the box office despite DCU co-CEO James Gunn’s claims that it was ‘one of the greatest superhero movies’.
Also read:Barbie vs Oppenheimer: Ryan Gosling Can Steal Best Supporting Actor Oscar from Robert Downey Jr Despite Marvel Star’s Powerpack Performance?
From Barbenheimer To Barbillion
Greta Gerwig’sBarbiewas released on July 21 along with Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimer. When the release dates were announced, the Internet had a field day, comparing the polar opposite nature of the two films. What started off as competitive releases, quickly became an example of excellent counter-programming where the public combined the films, making it a double feature event. Titled ‘Barbenheimer’, the Internet made memes and planned for a day in the cinemas watching both releases.
Barbenheimer was a massive success with over one-fifth of the audience booking tickets for both films. The double-feature cinematic event proved extremely successful for the theatrical business which had suffered a massive blow due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Both films collectively earned over a billion in the first two weeks of release, whileBarbieoutperformedOppenheimer.
Also read:3 Time Oscar Winning Legend Daniel Day-Lewis Made a Prediction About ‘Barbie’ Star Ryan Gosling That Came True
Within 17 days,Barbiehas made a ‘Barbillion’ at the global box office. It is the fourth female director-driven film to gross a billion and is the only film with a solo female director to reach the coveted milestone. The other films that have earned this areFrozen, Frozen 2,andCaptain Marvel, all of which have been co-directed by women.
Warner Bros., the studio which backed the film has been quite happy with the response. The film is also the quickest billion for the studio, breaking a 19-day record which was previously held byHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Barbillion is a welcome event for the studio after they faced a terrible bomb at the box office in the form ofThe Flash.
Also read:“I’ll never have another idea”: Barbie Director Turned Down WB After Studio Forced to Sign Her Absurd Deal as Margot Robbie Starrer Inches Towards $1B Club
Why DidThe FlashBomb At The Box Office?
After severe mismanagement, executive changes, canceled projects, and haphazard timelines, WB hired James Gunn and Peter Safran to head the new DCU wing and create a coherent shared universe. Gunn had directedThe Suicide Squadand created its spin-off series,Peacemaker. Their vision of the DCU is set to start with the Gunn-directedSuperman: Legacyand would move on to many films and shows. However, James Gunn still had to take care of aFlash-sizedproblem.
Also read:“I’d love to, but they have to invite me”: Before ‘The Flash’ Cameo, Nicolas Cage Said WB Would Have to Beg Him to Play Superman Despite Naming His Own Son Kal-El
After multiple delays and changing screenwriters and directors, Ezra Miller’sThe Flashfinally found its director in Andy Muschetti. The director had proved his chops in theItfranchise and was hired to make the film that had been in development since 2016. The film dealt with the multiverse storyline, taking inspiration from the classic comicFlashpoint. It was also revealed that Micheal Keaton, who played the first cinematic depiction of Batman in Tim Burton’sBatmanwould be returning for the film along with Ben Affleck, DCEU’s Batman.
Then came the multiple allegations, misbehavior, and arrests of star Ezra Miller. With new issues cropping up every week, it was evident that Miller could not continue playing the Flash. However, it was impossible to replace them in the already-shot film since they appeared in nearly every scene. A cancellation of the film would result in a bigger loss as the studio had already canceled the $90 millionBatgirlmovie. The studio then finally went ahead with the film after Miller publicly apologized for their behavior.
Also read:DC Reportedly Planned for Ben Affleck’s Return in SnyderVerse Batman Beyond Movie Before James Gunn Changed The Flash Ending?
Despite favorable test screenings and studio insiders such as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav calling it a good film, and Gunn calling it ‘one of the greatest superhero films ever made’, the film bombed at the box office. Apart from Miller’s bad press for the film, the reviews criticized its shoddy VFX. The film earned $268 million over a $220 million budget, making it one of the heaviest losses for WB. DCU CEO James Gunn has also mentioned that the film would be resetting the DCEU to make way for his shared universe.
Source:Variety
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
