What can't Barbie do? She is now a smash hit on the big screen.
"Barbie," featuring Margot Robbie as the Mattel doll and Ryan Gosling as Ken, is expected to rake in $155 million in its opening weekend in the U.S., according to Variety.
That tops "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" for the best opening weekend of 2023.
"Barbie" was written and directed by Greta Gerwig, who said she wanted to capture the complicated nature of the doll. While the Barbie has set unrealistic beauty standards, Gewig noted that she has still been an inspiration for girls and women.
"Barbie was invented in 1959 and she had gone to the moon before women could have credit cards," Gerwig said on "The View."
In the movie, Barbie questions her "perfect" world and is thrust into reality, where she has to navigate the "real world"
A look back at Barbie's history
Before Barbie, young girls were more likely to be playing with baby dolls — toys that encouraged them to aspire to raise children.
"Barbie" wasn't the only movie to see massive success this weekend. "Oppenheimer" surpassed expectations, earning $80 million, according to Variety.
The Christopher Nolan film documents J. Robert Oppenheimer's journey as he developed the atomic bomb. It stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon.
"Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," dubbed "Barbenheimer," created history between them. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this is the first time one movie has earned more than $100 million while another earned more than $50 million in a three-day weekend.
The success of the movies comes amid turmoil in Hollywood. Actors and writers are still on strike amid disputes over wages and emerging technology.
AI fears are fueling the labor strikes in Hollywood
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