‘Barbie’ Becomes First Woman-Directed Film to Gross $1 Billion at Global Box Office

‘Barbie,’ the 2023 film directed by Greta Gerwig, has crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office. Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, this fantasy-comedy movie about the iconic Mattel doll has become the second film of the year to achieve this feat, with ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ being the first.

In its third week of release, ‘Barbie’ earned $127 million worldwide, with $53 million coming from domestic theatres and $74 million from overseas. The film’s total box office revenue now stands at $1.0315 billion, making it the highest-grossing movie of the year so far.

Greta Gerwig’s success as the director of ‘Barbie’ also marks an important milestone for women in Hollywood. She has become the 29th director, and the first solo female director, to enter the billion-dollar club with this live-action comedy. Moreover, only five women have ever directed a film that crossed the $1 billion mark globally.

‘Barbie’ features an ensemble cast, including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, and Will Ferrell. The movie follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) on a journey of self-discovery after facing an existential crisis.

The film’s achievement not only validates Margot Robbie’s initial confidence in its success but also highlights the industry’s progress towards gender diversity in directing billion-dollar movies. ‘Barbie’ remains a significant achievement and a step forward for women in Hollywood.