Over the summer, Barbie set a record by surpassing one billion dollars in sales in 17 days. In addition, the director of the record-breaking film, Greta Gerwig, set another record by becoming the first solo female director and filmmaker with a billion-dollar film.
Barbie can attribute its success to many different factors, one being its star-studded cast which included Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Dua Lipa, Michael Cera, and many more. Another factor was its release on the same day as Oppenheimer, so many planned to watch both films on the same day. Additionally, the film could credit its success to its pink marketing, which included pink posters, a pink carpet at the premiere, and encouragement for viewers to wear pink at the theaters. One primary factor for the film’s success is its nostalgic quality, as it centers around a character who has been a part of many girls’ childhoods since her debut in 1959. This film attracted women and girls of all ages to the theaters.
The film genuinely has a universal message that women of all ages can connect with. The main plot of this film is that Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, starts to feel different than her usual self. Some of the changes include flat feet, cold showers, and the inability to float in the air. Barbie discovers that her dilemma is due to the fact that the human who owns her in the real world is changing. As a result of her crisis, Barbie and Ken travel to the real world to meet the girl responsible for these changes. When she finally reaches the real world, she finds out that it’s not the girl who played with her, Sasha, but her mom who works at Mattel. When Barbie brings Sasha and her mom back to Barbie Land, they are confronted with the new Barbie Land that had been taken over by Ken, who learned about the patriarchy in the real world. Barbie’s house is now the Mojo Dojo Casa house, and all the Barbies, previously independent, now center their lives around the Kens. Through the journey of reclaiming Barbie Land, Barbie learns what it means to be a woman in the real world: someone who is strong, independent, compassionate, and so much more than just the stereotypical Barbie who is only valued for her looks.
Barbie reached this milestone in 17 days, becoming Warner Bros’ fastest release to achieve one billion dollars. The highly anticipated “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” from 2011 previously held that record at 19 days. This film’s remarkable success challenges the prevalent and unfair Hollywood myth that movies created by women, starring women, and made for women can’t be successful. With the success of Barbie, Greta Gerwig proves once again that she is a force to be reckoned with in the film industry.