@wonder2wonder said:

@rooprect said:

@M.LeMarchand said:

Well, time to get back to Barbie. I found this article on the records it has broken as of the time of publication (September 12th): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-09-12/barbie-streaming-records-broken-box-office

Huge props to Greta G for cracking the billion-dollar-boys-club!

“ “Barbillion” also makes Gerwig the only solo female director to have a movie reach the billion-dollar mark. Only 28 directors in Hollywood history have had the sole directing credit on a billion-dollar movie — and they’re all men (most made male-oriented and franchise-driven films).”

I’ve been a huge fan of female directors going all the way back to Ida Lupino, Agnès Varda and more recently Julie Taymor & Sarah Polley …all basically unknown in the mainstream. I hope Greta’s huge win puts female directors in the spotlight and shakes up the old men running Hollywood for the last 100 years.

Let's not forget Margot Robbie. She is the one who took on the 'Barbie' project with her production company LuckyChap Entertainment (cofounders Tom Ackerley (husband), Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara). She, as a producer, had to convince the Warner Bros. and Mattel executives to back the project. Her choice of Greta Gerwig to direct and rewrite the script was a masterstroke. The production did not go without a hitch as they had to contend with the usual interference from executives, including the post-production editing. The fantastic cooperation between these two women guaranteed the success of this dream project.

I didn't know that, that's awesome. Yes a motivated producer can make the difference. I'm reminded of Kirk Douglas who's the sole reason that Kubrick got his big break with Paths of Glory and later Spartacus. It's always great to see when an actor puts their money & star power behind a director they believe in!

@wonder2wonder said:

@rooprect said:

@M.LeMarchand said:

Well, time to get back to Barbie. I found this article on the records it has broken as of the time of publication (September 12th): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-09-12/barbie-streaming-records-broken-box-office

Huge props to Greta G for cracking the billion-dollar-boys-club!

“ “Barbillion” also makes Gerwig the only solo female director to have a movie reach the billion-dollar mark. Only 28 directors in Hollywood history have had the sole directing credit on a billion-dollar movie — and they’re all men (most made male-oriented and franchise-driven films).”

I’ve been a huge fan of female directors going all the way back to Ida Lupino, Agnès Varda and more recently Julie Taymor & Sarah Polley …all basically unknown in the mainstream. I hope Greta’s huge win puts female directors in the spotlight and shakes up the old men running Hollywood for the last 100 years.

Let's not forget Margot Robbie. She is the one who took on the 'Barbie' project with her production company LuckyChap Entertainment (cofounders Tom Ackerley (husband), Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara). She, as a producer, had to convince the Warner Bros. and Mattel executives to back the project. Her choice of Greta Gerwig to direct and rewrite the script was a masterstroke. The production did not go without a hitch as they had to contend with the usual interference from executives, including the post-production editing. The fantastic cooperation between these two women guaranteed the success of this dream project.

Well said, @wonder2wonder. The success of Barbie didn't happen by accident, nor by gift. Margot put her money where her mouth is, had to make great choices, and had to fight for their vision. The respect they deserve was hard-earned.

To whatever degree people want to think the West is a meritocracy, this is as great a situation as any to give credit where credit due, and shouldn't be hard.

Cool it, Damien. The arguing is now over. Time for this thread to return and stay on topic.

@Damienracer said:

@DRDMovieMusings, No it's not discussing movies. What is someone meant to say about a movie making more than 1billion?

If this thread and the OP's sympathizers had engaged in good faith, they should have been able to say "I was wrong. This movie has not flopped. On the contrary, it's been an incredible success. Respect to the team."

but it's not something that can be discussed.

Why you are so determined to dictate what can and can't be discussed is very strange. People discuss financials all the time on this board, with many users beyond me initiating. I often chime in to add to a direction on financials that had already been in place before I got there. These are undisputable facts.

you're not in any way benefiting from that.

You may want to assert that to assuage your bias, but, you're outside your lane yet again. Not only do I absolutely benefit from the success of this movie, but many do. I'd explain it to you if I thought you were honestly interested in learning, but I don't think you are because, if you were, you likely wouldn't need me to explain it to you, and you certainly wouldn't assert as some fact something that is completely wrong.

@Damienracer said:

How do you benefit from Barbie? Genuinely interested

Before I bother to answer it, I'd like to invite/challenge you to think through a possible answer to that question. Regardless whether you agree or disagree, you should be able to form an argument in support of the idea, now that that idea has been put in front of you. What you come up with will help me get a fair sense of how serious to take you (I'll be honest, my expectations are not high at all, but I'd love for you to surprise me and support the kind of civil discourse this message board IS trying to be about. Our working together on this would be a great victory for everyone involved. Are you with me?)

why should other users not benefiting from Barbie's success have to read that?

No one "has to" read anything. You can a) just not read it; or b) unsubscribe from the thread (which will not stop anyone from engaging all the other threads for this movie or elsewhere); or c) block anyone you don't want to read.

@Damienracer said:

Deliberately ignoring the question regarding how you benefit from Barbie isn't a good first start is it?

I didn't ignore it. I'd just rather not do your homework for you before you show some good faith.

Damien, no one has to somehow personally financially benefit, if they post profit updates about a film's success. It's interesting info, which is the point of posting it. Some here are interested, some are not. That's normal, and all well and good and to be expected, on message boards.

@Damienracer said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

I didn't ignore it. I'd just rather not do your homework for you before you show some good faith.

Don't need to put in the work,

That's the extent of your "genuine interest"? Textbook sealioning, which could be seen a mile away.

Went to the cinema last night (not to see "Barbie" again) and, as it was dead in there, asked whether the streaming launch had affected the tickets sales for "Barbie". Apparently not, though the theatre is historically quiet this time of year*, so it's hard to tell.

Got chatting about sales for the film over the last couple of months and the chap said that the opening week had been their best ever, mainly down to "Barbie", and he too had never seen so many "parties" going to see a film. Maybe this happens more in other countries, but in the UK I've only seen people "dress up" and go in large groups to "Rocky Horror". "Barbie" was the first time I've seen "normies" do it, and I can't help but feel that the way it caught the zeitgeist and inspired women to make an event out of their trip to the cinema really helped it power its way to such huge financial success.

*Friday evening and my wife and I were 50% of the audience for the #2 movie at the UK Box Office - though I suspect there are wide regional differences for a Hindi film, and our town isn't exactly a melting pot!

@M.LeMarchand said:

Went to the cinema last night (not to see "Barbie" again) and, as it was dead in there, asked whether the streaming launch had affected the tickets sales for "Barbie". Apparently not, though the theatre is historically quiet this time of year*, so it's hard to tell.

"Barbie (2023)"'s UK box office (audience) has dropped another 66% since last week, while "Oppenheimer (2023)" is holding at a 50% drop.

Is there a possibility to see "Barbie IMAX (2023)" with extra footage next week at your cinema?

Got chatting about sales for the film over the last couple of months and the chap said that the opening week had been their best ever, mainly down to "Barbie", and he too had never seen so many "parties" going to see a film. Maybe this happens more in other countries, but in the UK I've only seen people "dress up" and go in large groups to "Rocky Horror". "Barbie" was the first time I've seen "normies" do it, and I can't help but feel that the way it caught the zeitgeist and inspired women to make an event out of their trip to the cinema really helped it power its way to such huge financial success.

You can go here and scroll down to At the cinema, where there are some videoclips about the hype at the theatres during the opening weekend.

@wonder2wonder said:

Is there a possibility to see "Barbie IMAX (2023)" with extra footage next week at your cinema?

Our town is so small that there may not even be space for an IMAX screen*, so no. Although there are IMAX screens in the UK, it doesn't seem to have the cultural impact that it does in the US. Maybe, apart from Christopher Nolan, it's because we don't subscribe to the whole "bigger is better" ethos? ;o)

*May be a slight exaggeration. The nearest IMAX screen is only 14.6m x 8.1m and about an hour away.

@M.LeMarchand said:

Maybe this happens more in other countries, but in the UK I've only seen people "dress up" and go in large groups to "Rocky Horror". "Barbie" was the first time I've seen "normies" do it, and I can't help but feel that the way it caught the zeitgeist and inspired women to make an event out of their trip to the cinema really helped it power its way to such huge financial success.

That is so cool! My generation missed Rocky Horror, and the closest thing we had was maybe Nightmare Before Christmas which became a Halloween dressup tradition. It's very rare for a film to achieve that sort of cult status in its own time, so I'm thrilled that the younger generation has a classic to call their own. Like you said, it does seem to capture the zeitgeist of the times: girl power! (and hetero dudes who are secure enough with their masculinity that they support girl power!)

Barbie is still showing at our cinema at weekend matinees.

It's also possible to see it theatrically in Russia (or at least Moscow)... if you know what you're doing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66934838

@M.LeMarchand said:

Barbie is still showing at our cinema at weekend matinees.

It's also possible to see it theatrically in Russia (or at least Moscow)... if you know what you're doing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66934838

That's hilarious!!!!!

'Russia's culture ministry is not amused. Last month it concluded that the Barbie movie was "not in line with the aims and goals laid out by our president for preserving and strengthening traditional Russian moral and spiritual values."'

Equally hilarious (in a smh way) is this:

"You talk about the importance of following the law," [a movie watcher says], "Russia invaded Ukraine. The United Nations says that was a complete violation of international law. Russia is saving Ukraine and saving the Donbas."

Umm. did she just compare the moral right to watch a bootleg movie with the moral right to invade a country and murder civilians? Oy borscht They're dumber than I thought.

@M.LeMarchand said:

Barbie is still showing at our cinema at weekend matinees.

It's also possible to see it theatrically in Russia (or at least Moscow)... if you know what you're doing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66934838

"not in line with the aims and goals laid out by our president for preserving and strengthening traditional Russian moral and spiritual values."

OMG, I almost choked on my coffee when I read that!