Barbie just broke another huge box office record

Margot Robbie as Barbie in Barbie
(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Barbie's been smashing box office records during its titanic run at the box office, and the summer comedy is now the highest-grossing global release in Warner Bros. history (not adjusting for inflation).

Barbie had already broken the box office records for the biggest opening and highest-grossing film directed by a woman, and it had stolen the record for the biggest opening weekend of 2023 from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. As reported by Variety, the film earned an additional $18.2 million over the weekend, making it now the highest-grossing film of the year with global takings of over $1.34 billion. 

Impressively, this also means that the Barbie movie has surpassed the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, becoming the 16th highest-grossing film of all time. Experts are also predicting that it will soon overtake The Super Mario Bros. Movie's total box office takings ($1.359 billion) to become the highest-grossing film of the year. 

That seems like an easy battle thanks to Barbie's recently-announced IMAX run. Yes, Barbie is getting a limited, one-week IMAX run across the US and in select international territories starting on Friday, September 22. What's more, this new showing is due to include some "special new footage" chosen by director, Greta Gerwig. If you've somehow not seen the movie already (or you just can't get Kenough of it), now's the perfect time to see it on the biggest screen you can find. 

"We made Barbie for the big screen, so it's a thrill to be able to bring it to IMAX, the biggest screen of all", Gerwig said in a statement about the new release. "As a special thanks to Barbie fans, we're excited to share a little bit more of our cast and crew's incredible work by adding special new footage we hope audiences will enjoy."

In other movie news, the other half of the Barbenheimer phenomenon is also still performing well. Christopher Nolan's biopic, Oppenheimer has raked in over $770 million at the box office so far and has overtaken Inception to become Nolan's third-highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office, behind only The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. 

Barbie is in theaters now. For more info on all the latest releases, you can look forward to seeing for the rest of the year, check out our guide to the new movies still to hit the multiplex in 2023. 

Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. 

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.