Cillian Murphy to Star in Oppenheimer, Margot Robbie as Barbie
Julian De Rosa | AFP | Getty Images; Stuart C. Wilson Getty Images
“Pappenheimer” exploded over the weekend with an estimated $235.5 million in grosses, reviving the domestic box office.
“Barbie” grossed an estimated $155 million in its first three days, the most for a 2023 debut. Its counterpart, “Oppenheimer,” grossed an estimated $80.5 million during its opening run. Final numbers for the duo’s debut will be announced on Monday.
“I don’t think anyone could have reasonably predicted this fusion between ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Barbie,'” said Shawn Robbins, principal analyst at BoxOffice.com. “If you were going to a theater right now, the communal experience would be reminiscent of the major Marvel and Star Wars films, but without the remote engagement of those franchises.”
Combo Tickets Sold Over 18.5 Million Warner Bros.‘ “Barbie” and generic According to EntTelligence, “Oppenheimer” earned $12.8 million, “Barbie” $12.8 million and “Oppenheimer” $5.8 million.
“It was truly a historic weekend And it continues its positive box office momentum into 2023. ’ said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. “
Both films have “fresh” ratings of over 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and have inspired audiences to don head-to-toe pink or suits and hats at screenings.
“People recognize that something special is happening and they want to be a part of it,” O’Leary said. “Our partners in the creative community and studios have given audiences two unique, smart original stories that are ready for the big screen, and movie lovers are responding by gathering friends and family and heading to local movie theaters across the country.”
With the addition of Paramount’s latest film “Mission: Impossible,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and Angel Studios’ “Voice of Liberty,” the weekend is expected to hit $302 million, the biggest weekend gross in 2023, according to Comscore.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, said: “The unprecedented performance of these two films, and their impetus to the overall film market, has cemented the movie theater’s position as a cultural center and a center of social interaction.”
The “Pappenheimer” weekend will now be the fourth-highest on record, just shy of the three-day mark Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” released in December 2015, grossed $313 million over the weekend. The second highest was the $314 million opening weekend of “Avengers: Infinity War” in April 2018.
Some box office analysts expect Monday’s official weekend numbers could be much higher than Sunday’s estimates, driving “Papenheimer’s” weekend up. However, they haven’t been able to come close to the highest-grossing weekend ever recorded in April 2019, when “Avengers: Endgame” opened, bringing in $357 million for the weekend and $402 million for the entire weekend.
The success of “Pappenheimer” comes at a time when the domestic box office is facing some hurdles. Many adult-oriented blockbusters have underperformed, leading many in the industry to question whether consumer tastes have moved away from Hollywood.
Warner Bros. ‘ ‘The Flash’ has flopped, Pixar’s ‘Elements’ failed to attract home audiences, and even Harrison Ford’s return as Indiana Jones wasn’t enough to fill movie theaters.
However, the combination of the bombshell and the blonde beauty seems to have inspired a lot of moviegoers to get off the couch and watch a movie.
“This is a historic result that demonstrates audience enthusiasm for a variety of fresh content,” Robbins said. “These films fit neatly into the cultural zeitgeist. They reignited the summer box office flames, and they’re proof that studios can be more proactive in their anti-program strategies in the future.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the publisher of Oppenheimer and owns Rotten Tomatoes.
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