Barbie beats rival Oppenheimer as 2023's highest grossing film in UK and Ireland

09 August 2023 , 13:04

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Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie at the European premiere of Barbie in London (Image: PA Wire)

Barbie has claimed the title of the highest grossing film of 2023 in the UK and Ireland, according to recent figures, defeating Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer which was released on the same day.

The laugh-out-loud comedy, featuring Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel fashion doll, has raked in an impressive £67.5 million within its first three weeks of release. This staggering figure has knocked The Super Mario Bros. Movie off its perch, relegating it to second place with earnings of £54.6 million.

Barbie's box office dominance could potentially see it dethrone last year's top earner, Top Gun: Maverick, which amassed £83.7 million. Already, Barbie is outstripping the Top Gun sequel, having earned around three-quarters more than the latter's £50.1 million at the same stage of release.

Meanwhile, Oppenheimer, another summer blockbuster, continues to draw crowds. The biopic, focusing on the life of the titular American physicist instrumental in developing the atomic bomb, has now grossed £39.2 million in the UK and Ireland. This achievement propels it to third place in this year's box office chart, surpassing Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (£36.7 million) and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (£30.4 million).

Barbie has out performed Oppenheimer so far at the box office

Oppenheimer's serious subject matter starkly contrasts with the comic book escapades of Marvel's superheroes and the whimsical world of live-action fashion dolls.

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The latest box office figures up to August 6 reveal that both Oppenheimer and Barbie have captivated mass audiences. Some devoted fans have even opted for a "Barbenheimer" double feature, viewing the two films back-to-back.

A key factor in their appeal could be their status as unique, stand-alone releases, offering a refreshing change from the usual spin-offs or installments of long-running franchises.

The British Film Institute and Comscore, renowned for their box office data publication, count figures for the UK and Ireland together for reporting purposes.

Despite experiencing a 40 percent drop in takings between its second and third weekends on release, Barbie has demonstrated enough momentum at the box office to ensure its overall earnings will continue to rise in the coming weeks.

If it manages to match or even surpass last year's chart-topper, Top Gun: Maverick, Barbie could potentially secure a spot in the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time in the UK and Ireland.

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Charlotte McIntyre