Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig have done it. The breakaway hit of the summer was Barbie. The huge summer blockbuster managed to blow past expectations and officially hit the billion-dollar mark. Given the hype that Barbie developed throughout the year, it’s not surprising that the film crossed the billion-dollar line.
Barbie overtook The Super Mario Bros as the number one movie of 2023. This is a huge milestone because Barbie is the first original live-action film in decades to make a billion at the box office. The Greta Gerwig vehicle accomplished more than just a big number at the box office. It set records for the modern era and opened up opportunities for films going forward.
It Shows That Audiences Still Crave Original Films
The summer was ruled by the entire Barbenheimer event that was unexpectedly hyped up by audiences. Though Oppenheimer didn’t make a billion at the box office, the Christopher Nolan film is still a tremendous success regardless. Oppenheimer made over $900 million worldwide; that’s impressive for a rated R-film that’s three hours long.
The success of Barbenheimer showcased that audiences still crave original films. The biggest reason that Hollywood keeps banking on sequels, spin-offs, and reboots is due to the nostalgia that’s an easy payday for executives. Though Barbie is a well-known intellectual property, it’s still a source that has crowded the film market.
The advertising for Barbie represented something as fun and perfect for the summer. Oppenheimer showcased the opposite as it seemed primed as more of an awards contender. Add into the top names in front and behind the camera, and these two films showcased that the demand for original content is still there.
A Huge Win For Female Directors
Greta Gerwig has become the first female solo director to achieve such a massive feat. It hasn’t been easy for women to get into the competitive space of blockbusters. It’s well documented at this point how hard it’s been for female directors to get into Hollywood in general. This achievement means that audiences aren’t biased towards male/female directors and that the most important quality is if the film appeals to the masses.
Barbie getting to a billion opens the doors for women to direct huge blockbusters of such a nature. Honestly, sex shouldn’t matter when it comes to this subject because a good film is a good film, regardless of gender or race. Just like Black Panther proved that quality can equal massive success, Barbie also highlights that diversity can work if done correctly.
Barbie Proved That Maybe It’s Best To Pull Back On The Nostalgia Bait
Just like Barbie and Oppenheimer was a major win for original films, the summer of 2023 saw a surprising amount of films flop at the box office. Fast X, Transformers, Indiana Jones and the Dial Destiny, The Flash, and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning did not heat up the market as they should have.
There were some successes like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. However, the summer of sequels and reboots has been a failure overall. The biggest issue is that this year has been dominated by blockbusters of old franchises. The lack of diversity in the film space is what killed most of these films. Whether it’s an indie rom-com or a serious drama, there needs to be a healthy mix of films that audiences can choose from.
The films mentioned above are stale retreads of what’s been playing for the past five years. As great as Mission Impossible is, it’s not much different than the previous films. So is Fast X or Transformers. Dipping into the nostalgia well is coming back and biting Hollywood in the ass. There are certainly other factors why those films flopped, but Barbie was something fresh and unique, which is what audiences seem to be dying for.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 excelled at the box office because it was the finale of a well-established brand. Across the Spider-Verse is a recent and fairly new property that still excited moviegoers. The key thing here for Barbie and Oppenheimer received rave reviews from critics and audiences. Barbie was a breath of fresh air in a summer crowded with the same old same old.
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