Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated film “Barbie” is gearing up for a spectacular opening weekend, with early estimates suggesting it could rake in an impressive $68 million to $70 million, including Thursday night previews.
The movie’s buzz has reached a fever pitch, and it’s on track to become the best opening of the year, projecting a massive $150 million debut across 4,243 theaters. If achieved, this would outpace the previous record held by “Super Mario Bros.” with its $146.3 million 3-day opening.
Industry insiders and rivals are closely monitoring the film’s performance, with some even speculating that “Barbie” could potentially exceed expectations and reach the $165 million to $170 million mark. However, it’s still early days, and the excitement among both audiences and the film industry is palpable.
“Barbie” holds a distinct advantage as a female-skewing movie, which often translates to front-loaded box office results. A prime example of this trend is the wildly popular “Twilight” series, known for its significant initial success due to a fervent female fanbase.
Meanwhile, Universal’s “Oppenheimer” is also proving its mettle at the box office. The film, based on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the key figures in developing the atomic bomb, is off to a solid start.
It’s projected to earn around $32 million, including previews, on its opening day and an impressive $75 million over the three-day weekend from 3,610 theaters. This figure surpasses the start of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which previously held the record with $60.3 million.
As the weekend progresses, both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are likely to dominate the box office charts, reflecting the audience’s enthusiasm for these compelling cinematic offerings. Moviegoers and industry experts are eagerly watching how these films perform in the coming days, anticipating a robust showing that could set the tone for a successful summer movie season.
