"Barbenheimer" proved to be a massive success at the box office, surpassing all expectations and revitalizing the struggling exhibition business. The unique blend of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer garnered unprecedented attention on social media, drawing record numbers of moviegoers back to theaters.
Warner Bros' Barbie dominated the charts, earning an impressive US$155 million (S$206 million) from North American theaters alone. This marked the biggest opening of the year and set a new record for a film directed by a woman, outperforming even major Marvel releases. Universal's Oppenheimer also exceeded predictions, raking in US$80.5 million in the US and Canada, making it Nolan's most successful non-Batman debut and one of the top starts for an R-rated biographical drama.
In an unprecedented occurrence, both movies opened to over US$100 million and US$80 million, respectively, during the same weekend. The combined success of "Barbenheimer" is projected to result in one of the biggest box office weekends in history, with a total industrywide revenue of over US$300 million.
The positive competition between the two distinct films led to a win-win situation. Internationally, Barbie earned US$182 million, while Oppenheimer collected US$93.7 million, with both films thriving in various territories.
The only drawback was for "Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I," which faced a steep decline in its second weekend due to the overwhelming impact of "Barbenheimer" and the loss of IMAX screens to Oppenheimer.
Despite targeting different audiences, both Barbie and Oppenheimer received praise from critics and audiences alike, with strong showings on Rotten Tomatoes and CinemaScore. The films sparked extensive discussions on social media, creating a buzz that money can't buy.
Warner Bros' president of domestic distribution, Jeff Goldstein, hailed the success of "Barbenheimer" as a historic moment, and both studios celebrated their achievements in this unique collaboration. The powerful performances of these films brought hope to the entertainment industry during challenging times, proving that audiences were eager to return to theaters for exceptional cinematic experiences.
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