‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Makes History With Biggest Box Office Debut For Film Directed By A Woman At $337 Million

Oscar-nominated director Greta Gerwig made history as her film, Barbie, made $155 million in its opening weekend at the North American box office. The movie also grossed $182 million globally for a combined earning of $337 million. This is the biggest debut ever for a film directed by a woman ever.

Captain Marvel, which was co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, previously held the record after earning $153 million in 2019, while Patty Jenkins‘ Wonder Woman had the title for a movie solely directed by a woman with $103 million.

Barbie has broken other box office records, including the biggest debut weekend of 2023, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s $146 million.

Many credit the internet phenomenon of “Barbenheimer,” which generated memes of watching two radically different films in Barbie and Christopher Nolan‘s WWII-era drama Oppenheimer as a double feature. As a result, Oppenheimer opened with $80.5 million, making this past box office weekend the largest since the beginning of the pandemic.

Barbie has also received critical acclaim, earning a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as audience approval with an “A” rating on CinemaScore.

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The film cost $145 million to make, in addition to a wide-reaching advertising campaign to market it to mainstream audiences.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling play Barbie and Ken, who leave Barbieland for the real world on a journey of self-discovery. The cast also features Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Dua Lipa, Helen Mirren, Michael Cera, John Cena and Will Ferrell.