“It's wildly original, feminist, giant in scope and swing, and feels singular to a perspective,” Russo-Young wrote. Reese Witherspoon posted “way to go, GG!” on Instagram, while director Ry Russo-Young wrote that “'Barbie' and its success looms as a beacon of hope' amid the strikes and widely shut-down productions. “Barbie” and Gerwig's success was celebrated widely online with many in Hollywood pausing to reflect on the moment. As of 2023, there have now been seven women nominated for best director, and some are already predicting that Gerwig will notch another nod for next year's ceremony. In 2018, Gerwig also made history by becoming the fifth woman to be nominated for the best director Oscar (for “Lady Bird” ). And in just one weekend it’s already surpassed the domestic grosses her last two films, “Little Women,” which earned $108.1 million and “Lady Bird,” with $49 million. Gerwig co-wrote and directed “Barbie” which is intended to be the first of many Mattel-inspired spinoffs. “Barbie” also earned the title of the third biggest July debut ever, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises' - not adjusted for inflation - and trailing only the live-action “The Lion King” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.” The R-rated adaptation opened on Presidents Day weekend in 2017 for a five-day haul of $93 million.

This, many have noted, is perhaps less a rule and more of a lack of big films that have been made and promoted with a blockbuster female audience in minds.Ī close, but imperfect comparison is “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, and made $85 million in its first three days.

“Barbie’s” debut, $7 million higher than estimated on Sunday, is also significant because its audience was 65% women - not a surprise in and of itself, but as far as box office history is concerned, movies that open over $100 million often have a majority male audience (including both “Captain Marvel” and “Wonder Woman”). Globally, it far surpassed “Wonder Woman’s” debut with over $337 million versus $228.3 million, though “Captain Marvel’s” global launch was higher at $455 million.

Books like 50 shades of grey 2017