Barbie is set to surpass $1 billion at the worldwide box office this Sunday

“Barbie” is set to reach $1 billion at the global box office on Sunday. Greta Gerwig becomes the first solo female director with a billion-dollar film. It’s also the first billion-dollar movie for Warner Bros.

The movie “Barbie,” a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery and Mattel, is projected to enter the billion-dollar club this Sunday, surpassing $1 billion in global ticket sales. It will join an elite group of around 50 other films that have achieved this milestone. Notably, “Barbie” marks a significant achievement as Greta Gerwig becomes the first solo female director to helm a billion-dollar grosser. Final figures will be released on Monday.

Greta Gerwig has joined Anna Boden, co-director of Disney’s “Captain Marvel,” as the only two women to direct a billion-dollar film. “Captain Marvel” earned nearly $1.13 billion in its 2019 theatrical run, according to Comscore data.

This achievement also marks the first billion-dollar film for the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery, which occurred in 2022, and it’s only the second movie released in 2023 to reach this milestone. Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” has surpassed $1.3 billion since its release in April.

“Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst, attributed the monumental box office achievement of ‘Barbie’ to the perfect alignment of filmmaking, marketing, distribution, fan engagement, and theater presentation, with a touch of ‘Barbenheimer’ magic adding to its allure.

At a time when big-budget films like Disney’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,’ Paramount’s Mission Impossible sequels, and Universal’s Fast and Furious franchise struggled to captivate audiences, ‘Barbie’ showcased that moviegoers are still enthusiastic about exceptional films and communal experiences. Throughout July, theaters reported record-breaking ticket sales as eager pink-clad audiences flocked to watch the film.

The success of ‘Barbie’ is expected to continue as it faces little direct competition in the coming weeks, providing ample opportunity to build upon its triumph.”