Greta Gerwig’s latest venture, “Barbie,” has become a box office sensation, surpassing records previously held by female-directed films like Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” and 2019’s “Captain Marvel.” The film, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, garnered an impressive $155m on its opening weekend in North America, topping the chart and beating out Christopher Nolan’s biographical drama, “Oppenheimer.”
Barbie vs Oppenheimer: A Weekend of Box Office Surprises
Cinemas worldwide experienced a bustling weekend as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” launched simultaneously, leading to an explosion of excitement for both Gerwig’s and Nolan’s respective blockbusters.
While “Oppenheimer” won acclaim with its near-perfect Rotten Tomato score, it was “Barbie” that took the cake in box office receipts, significantly surpassing Nolan’s drama.
In the wake of their release, both films have experienced massive global debuts: $337m for “Barbie” and $174.2m for “Oppenheimer.”
The Barbie and Oppenheimer clash has led to interesting results. Even though “Oppenheimer” received critical acclaim, “Barbie” outperformed it in box office takings, providing a fascinating twist in the Barbie vs Oppenheimer duel.
Right-wing Backlash and Barbie’s Triumph
The Barbie vs Oppenheimer narrative took a political twist when right-wing critics called for a boycott of the “Barbie” film, accusing it of being “woke” and brainwashing young girls with “Chinese propaganda,” as GOP Sen. Ted Cruz labeled it.
