“The true MCU – Mattel Cinematic Universe”: Barbie Crosses $700M in Record 10 Days, Margot Robbie Fans Claim Victory Over Marvel
When Warner Bros. picked up Greta Gerwig’s idea of a live-action Barbie movie based on Mattel’s iconic doll, not many expected much from the movie.
At one point, even its director wasn’t sure if her script would be backed by studios due to some bold (and funny) references. But now the comedy-drama that features Margot Robbie in the lead role has scored the biggest week in history for a Warner Bros. movie with $578.5 million as well as has garnered $700 million in worldwide ticket sales in the space of 10 days.
Read more: 5 Marvel Stars You May Not Know Are in Margot Robbie’s ‘Barbie’
Still, Barbie Mania is unlikely to stop just yet, with some believing it might help Mattel threaten the status quo of Marvel studios.
Success of Margot Robbie’s Barbie Invites Comparison Between Mattel and Marvel
Such has been the reaction to the Margot Robbie starrer film that even Oppenheimer’s reasonable success (an impressive $80m opening weekend collection) at the box office is starting to look pale – like the color theme of the American Prometheus inspired movie.
Gerwig’s Barbie hasn’t just taken the spotlight off Christopher Nolan’s biopic on J. Robert Oppenheimer, but it has also toppled his The Dark Night from the first position as the biggest week collection for Warners at the domestic box office.
The next big name on Barbie’s target appears to be Marvel Cinematic Universe, with some going as far as saying the ‘M’ in MCU truly stands for Mattel from now on rather than Marvel.
barbie 🚀
the true MCU
Mattel Cinematic Universe— Mac1000 (@masaoconner) July 30, 2023
“omg have you seen all the MCU movies?”
“the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies??”
“no… the Mattel Cinematic Universe movies” https://t.co/qJdXZlJTp8
— 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐬 ⋄ ⚘ (@hotmessmolsx) July 27, 2023
then: Marvel movies
now: Mattel movies
soon: i can’t figure out how to end this tweet— jos (@josiahhughes) July 27, 2023
The claims don’t just stem from Barbie’s collection and the affinity for Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) but also from the critical acclaim it has invited for it’s layered plot and lines.
Mattel could do in one film what Marvel couldn’t do in countless multiverses:
Have a film nominated (at the very least) for Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay
— Amogh Ranadive (@amoghranadive) July 29, 2023
For now, it’s too early to throw such big claims, but the wind could certainly change in Mattel’s favor if their future projects do equally well.
Read more: “The rule of Barbie Land”: Margot Robbie’s Barbie Denied Viewers from Seeing 2 Colors in $145M Movie
What Is Mattel Planning After the Record-Breaking Earnings of Margot Robbie’s Barbie
Barbie is marching towards the glorious $1 billion mark, and at the same time, Mattel is well on its way to transforming its toy brand into an IP-driven machine, similar to how Marvel utilized their comic characters to build Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing Iron Man to the big screen in 2008.
As many as 14 properties are understood to be in active development, with big names like Vin Diesel and Daniel Kaluuya already roped in for Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Barney respectively.
The possibility of Barbie’s sequel isn’t ruled out either. Mattel’s CEO Ynon Kreiz seemed bullish on the idea even before the movie was released and suggested its success could lend to more follow-ups. “Our ambition is to create film franchises,” he told Variety.
However, Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay for the record-breaking movie alongside Noah Baumbach, has said she’s not considering thoughts of another movie at the moment.
Source: Twitter
