Box Office Hits “Barbenheimer” Continue to Dominate as Hollywood Strikes Loom
In a world where movie theaters have been struggling to recover from the impact of the pandemic, two films have emerged as box office juggernauts. “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have continued to dominate the box office in their second weekends of release, providing a much-needed boost to the fragile exhibition industry, which is facing the threat of two Hollywood strikes.
Greta Gerwig’s cotton candy-colored fantasy comedy, “Barbie,” once again led the way, raking in a massive $93 million between Friday and Sunday. Despite a 43% decline in ticket sales from its debut, “Barbie” achieved the seventh-biggest second weekend in history. Only blockbuster hits like “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Avengers: Endgame,” and “Infinity War” have enjoyed bigger weekend two tallies.
Christopher Nolan’s dark historical drama, “Oppenheimer,” also had a stellar second weekend, earning a whopping $46.6 million. Universal reported that it’s the first R-rated film to gross more than $10 million for seven consecutive days. Both films have demonstrated incredible staying power and have posted some of the best sophomore session holds in box office history.
After just two weeks in theaters, “Barbie” has already generated $351.4 million in North America, making it the fourth-biggest movie of the year. Globally, it has grossed over $750 million, ranking it as the third-largest release of the year. Meanwhile, “Oppenheimer” has earned $174 million domestically and $400 million globally, surpassing the lifetime grosses of Nolan’s previous films, “Tenet” and “Batman Begins.”
As “Barbenheimer” continue to dominate the box office, two new films attempted to entice audiences but with mixed results. Disney’s remake of “Haunted Mansion” debuted in third place with $24.6 million domestically and an additional $9.1 million internationally. Despite its kid-centric theme, the film faces a high bar to reach profitability given its production and promotional costs.
A24’s low-budget violent thriller, “Talk to Me,” outperformed expectations, grossing $10 million domestically and landing in sixth place. The feature debut of Australian YouTube stars Danny and Michael Philippou, “Talk to Me” has garnered positive reviews and word-of-mouth, showcasing the continuing popularity of the horror genre.
Another standout at the domestic box office is the independent film “Sound of Freedom,” which tackles the issue of child sex trafficking. In its fifth weekend of release, it added $13.6 million, bringing its total to $150 million. Remarkably, it has earned more than big-budget films like “Fast X,” Pixar’s “Elemental,” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.”
Overall, the box office in July was ahead by 1.4% compared to pre-pandemic times, thanks to the massive success of “Barbenheimer.” With their outpouring of interest and record-breaking second weekend numbers, these films have brought moviegoing back to its pre-pandemic average, providing a ray of hope for the exhibition industry. However, with the looming threat of Hollywood strikes and the ongoing challenges faced by theaters, the recovery of the box office still has a long way to go.