'Barbie' blows up Nolan's 15-year-old 'The Dark Knight' box office record

Batman has been bested by a doll

Greta Gerwig's comedy-drama film Barbie has achieved an extraordinary feat by breaking a long-standing box office record previously held by Christopher Nolan's superhero blockbuster, The Dark Knight. The Mattel toy franchise adaptation, which premiered alongside Nolan's Oppenheimer, has sparked a joint publicity storm affectionately dubbed Barbenheimer.

Variety reports that on Monday (24 July), Barbie garnered an impressive $26 million at the US box office, surpassing the highest Monday gross ever recorded for a Warner Bros. film. The previous record-holder was none other than Nolan's Batman sequel The Dark Knight, which had previously secured $24.6 million in box office earnings (unadjusted for inflation).

Warner Bros. is celebrating Barbie as a massive financial success, as it amassed a staggering $162 million in the US and a remarkable $337 million globally during its opening weekend, reports The Independent. The film's debut has marked the biggest opening weekend of the year, outperforming even the highly anticipated children's animation, The Super Mario Bros Movie.

Meanwhile, Oppenheimer, a biographical drama following the life of nuclear scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer portrayed by Cillian Murphy, also performed well at the box office. Despite earning $80.5 million in the US and $174.2 million globally during its opening weekend, the film was hailed as a hit with a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Film critics have lauded both films for their distinctiveness and creative prowess. While Oppenheimer received critical acclaim for its portrayal of the renowned scientist, Barbie impressed audiences with its inventive storytelling and impeccable craftsmanship.

In a five-star review for The Independent, critic Clarisse Loughrey praised Barbie as a testament to the potential of creativity even within the realms of capitalism. Loughrey's review highlighted the film's timely release, coming in the wake of creative forces advocating for fair wages and protection against the threat of AI replacing human artistic labour.

The phenomenon of Barbenheimer has undeniably played a significant role in boosting both films' success at the box office. The simultaneous release of these highly anticipated films attracted audiences from all corners, with Oppenheimer even benefiting from ticket sales due to sold-out Barbie screenings. Both films managed to outperform the recent Tom Cruise blockbuster, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, showcasing the immense impact and appeal of Barbenheimer.

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