The weekend box office is abuzz with impressive performances from two starkly contrasting films – the effervescent ‘Barbie‘ and the solemn ‘Oppenheimer‘. Debuting on Thursday, both have demonstrated commendable presale figures, setting the stage for what may become the busiest weekend in post-pandemic cinema.
Coming from the talented Greta Gerwig and Warner Bros. Discovery, ‘Barbie‘ shows a remarkable potential to yield between $68 million and $70 million today. This includes the eye-catching $22.3 million preview night collection, projecting an opening weekend grossing $150 million across 4,243 theaters. Some cinema market experts even envision the movie reaching a staggering high of $170 million. If achieved, this figure would comfortably eclipse this year’s biggest hit yet, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, which opened to $146.3 million.
On the other hand, ‘Oppenheimer‘, the intriguing, intense, and thought-provoking three-hour biopic detailing the life of the atomic bomb creator, is certainly not being overshadowed. Quite the opposite, in fact, as it garnered a respectable $10.5 million in preview receipts, and targets a $32 million opening day. The film aspires to pull in $75 million over its debut three-day weekend across 3,610 theaters. It’s noteworthy that ‘Oppenheimer‘ is being showcased on fewer screens than ‘Barbie‘, and fewer showtimes are available due to its substantial runtime. The movie also anticipates a smaller drop in subsequent weeks due to its mature themes and appeal to an older audience demographic, unlike ‘Barbie’, which is expected to be front-loaded as films primarily attracting female viewers typically are.
This translates to a jaw-dropping $225 million weekend for cinemas, a figure that will surely be greeted with joy by movie theater operators. However, the excitement doesn’t end there. ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ remains on screens, and is set for a solid second weekend estimated at $25 million. This would accumulate to a domestic running total of $124.2 million. The film also continues to perform exceptionally well internationally, and will receive an additional boost when it returns to IMAX, which is presently exclusively occupied by Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer‘. ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is anticipated to secure the fifth spot with a weekend haul of $7 million, raising its total to $159.3 million by weekend’s end.
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Both films have been lauded by critics and viewers alike. ‘Barbie‘ has earned an admirable 89% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic. Concurrently, ‘Oppenheimer‘ has rocketed to an exceptional 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 90 on Metacritic. The promising word-of-mouth surrounding both films should further fuel their momentum. To add fuel to the fire, the viral “Barbenheimer” sensation has been impactful, drawing approximately 200,000 ardent fans who have committed to same-day double features, securing tickets to both films.
In conclusion, it’s clear that ‘Barbie‘ has made a nuclear impact this weekend, reinforcing the delightful truth that life in plastic truly is fantastic.
