“Barbenheimer” exploded over the weekend, generating an estimated $235.5 million in ticket sales and reinvigorating the domestic box office.
“Barbie” tallied around $155 million during its first three days in theaters, the highest opening of 2023. Its counterpart “Oppenheimer” snared an estimated $80.5 million during its debut. Final numbers for the pair’s debuts will be revealed Monday.
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“I don’t think anyone could have reasonably predicted this kind of confluence between ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Barbie,'” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “If you’re going to a theater right now, the communal experience is reminiscent of major Marvel and Star Wars films, but without those franchises remotely involved.”
More than 18.5 million tickets were bought for the combination of Warner Bros.‘ “Barbie” and Universal’s “Oppenheimer,” 12.8 million for “Barbie” and 5.8 million for “Oppenheimer,” according to data from EntTelligence.
“It was a truly historic weekend and continues the positive box office momentum of 2023,” said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “More importantly, it proves once again that America loves going to the movies to see great films.”
Both films hold a rating of more than 90% “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes and inspired moviegoers to dress head-to-toe in pink or don suits and hats during their screenings.
“People recognized that something special was happening and they wanted to be a part of it,” O’Leary said. “Our partners in the creative community and at the studios gave audiences two uniquely different, smart and original stories that were meant for the big screen and movie lovers responded by gathering friends and family and heading to their local movie houses across the nation.”
With additional ticket sales from Paramount’s newest “Mission Impossible” film, Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Angel Studios’ “The Sound of Freedom,” analysts expect this weekend to be the highest-grossing weekend of the year at the domestic box office.
This milestone comes at a time when the domestic box office has faced some hurdles. A slew of adult-aimed blockbusters have underperformed, leading many in the industry to question if consumer tastes have shifted away from Hollywood.
“It’s a historic result that showcases the enthusiasm audiences have for a variety of fresh content,” Robbins said. “These films have exquisitely tapped into the cultural zeitgeist. They’ve reignited the summer box office flame, and they’ve proven that studios can be a little more aggressive with counter-programming strategies in the future.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Oppenheimer” and owns Rotten Tomatoes.