Barbie: A Game-Changing Success
Barbie has grossed over a billion dollars at the global box office, making it the first woman-directed movie to do so. Not only is the success of the Mattel doll movie notable because it’s not a sequel, but it’s primarily directed, written, and produced by women, and stars mostly women. This is the kind of shift we need in the industry – more women in key roles making movies that appeal to female audiences.
The success of Barbie is also noteworthy because it’s a comedy, unlike other top-grossing action films. While comedies struggle overseas, action films tend to have broader appeal. But this Barbie movie seems to have bucked the trend.
“Barbie’s success is a big deal for a lot of reasons,” Forbes contributor and movie critic Scott Mendelson writes. “It’s the first Barbie movie. It’s a comedy. And it’s a movie that’s been heavily lambasted by critics and audiences alike.”
Mendelson points out that Hollywood has moved away from theatrical comedies, instead focusing on action franchises. When comedies are made, they are often either R-rated, like No Hard Feelings, or safe bets like The Flash, which flopped.
But Barbie has outperformed even recent and popular action movies like Fast X, Mission: Impossible, The Flash, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. No Hard Feelings also did well, making $85.1 million. This success indicates that the audience is ready for something funny, as evidenced by Barbie’s success and underperforming safe bets.
“The fact that No Hard Feelings, a R-rated comedy that almost nobody paid to see, is the highest-grossing live-action comedy since pre-COVID times is a pretty strong indicator that the audience is ready for something that doesn’t feel like a retread of Groundhog Day, Spy, Superbad, or Bad Moms,” Mendelson writes.
This is also a sign that smaller successes, like No Hard Feelings, are also indicative of changing audience tastes.
There have been some recent comedies that have flopped, such as Joy Ride, The Machine, About My Father, Champions, and House Party. But it seems as though audiences are ready for something funny, as evidenced by Barbie’s success and underperforming safe bets.
If you’re looking for some good movies to watch, here are the highest-rated films on Netflix and Amazon Prime right now.
