According to a report by Variety, the “Barbie” movie, led by Margot Robbie and directed by Greta Gerwig, has broken box office records. On Monday, it earned $26 million in North America, surpassing “The Dark Knight” by Christopher Nolan, which earned $24.6 million on its Monday release in 2008. “Barbie” has become the biggest Monday box office hit for Warner Bros. Pictures.
“The Dark Knight” had previously held the record and was also directed by Christopher Nolan, who coincidentally directed another movie titled “Oppenheimer,” which stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the lead physicist of the Manhattan Project. On the same Monday, “Oppenheimer” earned $12.6 million, bringing its domestic total to $95 million since its release on the same day as “Barbie.”
The report mentions that “Barbie” has made $188 million in North America and $382 million worldwide as of Monday. However, it’s unclear whether it will surpass “The Dark Knight” in total earnings, as the latter had made over $1 billion globally during its theatrical run.
“Barbie” is the biggest-ever debut for a movie directed by a woman, and it stars Margot Robbie as the titular doll who leaves Barbie Land to explore the real world. The film also features an extensive ensemble cast, including Ryan Gosling.
Christopher Nolan, who directed “The Dark Knight,” has no interest in directing another superhero movie, as stated in an interview where he marked the 15th anniversary of the film’s release.