‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ set UK-Ireland box office double debut record

LONDON, (Reuters): Barbie grossed an estimated 18.5 million pounds ($23.7 million) and Oppenheimer 10.9 million pounds at the UK-Ireland box office at the weekend, Screen International said on Monday – the first time two films opened to over 10 million pounds each.

In a battle dubbed Barbenheimer on social media, both movies enjoyed sold-out screenings across the country, with many fans flocking to the big screens dressed in pink to emulate the plastic doll.

The two films have given a much-needed lift to movie theatres after many earlier releases fell flat this year.

Greta Gerwig, who helmed Barbie, beat the record for the biggest opening for a film directed by a woman.

Read More: The Barbenheimer box office showdown

Oppenheimer, starring Irish actor Cillian Murphy as the American scientist who developed the atomic bomb, also secured director Christopher Nolan’s second-biggest UK opening weekend.

Cinema operator Vue International said it had enjoyed its biggest weekend since Avengers: Endgame opened in 2019, with Barbie on track to become the biggest film of 2023.

Barbie, which stars Margot Robbie, also ruled in U.S. and Canadian theatres, taking an estimated $155 million to set the record for the biggest domestic opening of 2023.

The British Film Institute’s weekend box office figures will be released on Wednesday.