In The Know

‘Barbie’ movie brings in over $500M at box office in first week

A woman walks past advertisements for "Barbie," on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at the Landmark Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The recently-released “Barbie” movie has made over $500 million at the box office worldwide, according to Warner Bros.

The press release shared Friday claimed the movie, starring Hollywood A-listers Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as famous toys “Barbie” and “Ken” respectively, also made over $200 million domestically since its release last Friday.

During the first three days in theaters, “Barbie” reportedly raked in over $155 million, according to recent Comscore data.

Directed by Greta Gerwig, the director of acclaimed “Little Women” and “Lady Bird,” the movie has also set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman. 

“Globally, the film marks the largest opening for Greta Gerwig as a director and for Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and nearly every actor in the film, as well as the biggest opening for a movie based on a toy,” the Warner Bros. release said.

Conservatives have critiqued the movie’s feminist themes as well as the casting of the transgender actress Hari Nef as one of the other “Barbies” alongside Robbie. GOP lawmakers also scrutinized it over a scene that features a map depicting China’s claimed territory in the South China Sea.

But despite the criticism, the movie currently sits at a 90 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.