Barbie sets new record at the box office
The movie Barbie, featuring Australian star Margot Robbie as the eponymous doll and Ryan Gosling as Ken, is making waves at the box office
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Blockbuster movie Barbie is breaking *box office records with the film enjoying a *phenomenon known as *Barbenheimer, because the comedy shares smash hit status with serious *nuclear-themed film, Oppenheimer.
Barbie and Oppenheimer have delivered their *studios triumphant *openings of $500 million and $259 million *respectively.
At the international box office, Barbie, which stars Margot Robbie as the *eponymous doll alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken, netted the biggest overseas opening ever for a *non-franchise film.
Barbie, which has been a hit with critics and audiences alike, also sets a record for director Greta Gerwig for the best *debut for a movie with a female director.
Gerwig, who has been nominated for three *Oscars for previous films Little Women and Lady Bird, recently revealed how she rejected the idea of cutting a *pivotal scene involving Margot Robbie.
When Barbie crosses over into the real world she encounters an older woman sitting on a bench, and Barbie tells the woman, who is played by Oscar-winning costume designer Ann Roth, that she is beautiful.
Gerwig revealed she was under pressure to delete the scene from the final cut but fought to keep it instead. “I love that scene so much,” Gerwig said. “If I cut that scene, I don’t know what this movie is about.”
Gerwig also had praise for Robbie in that key *thematic moment.
“To me, this is the heart of the movie. The way Margot plays the moment is so gentle and so unforced. There’s the more outrageous elements in the movie … But to me, the part that I can’t believe that is still in the movie is this little *cul-de-sac that doesn’t lead anywhere- except for, it’s the heart of the movie.”
Barbie has also recorded the biggest three-day debut of the year to date, ahead of *The Super Mario Bros Movie’s which netted $217 million.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- box office records: the measurement of a movie’s record breaking ticket sales
- phenomenon: an event that is remarkable
- Barbenheimer: a term used to describe the combination of two successful films: Barbie and Oppenheimer
- smash hit: a very successful and popular movie that has achieved widespread acclaim and financial success
- nuclear-themed: related to the subject of nuclear energy or nuclear weapons
- triumphant: achieving victory or success
- studios: companies that produce movies or films
- opening: the period when a movie is first shown in theatres
- respectively: something happening in the same order as it was just said
- non-franchise film: a movie that is not part of an existing series or movie franchise, eg: Spider Man
- eponymous: when something is named after a person, character, or thing that is the same as the name of the thing itself
- debut: the first appearance or introduction of something, like a movie in this case
- Oscars: the Academy Awards, an annual awards ceremony for achievements in the film industry
- pivotal scene: significant moment in the movie that plays a crucial role in the story
- Cul-de-sac: a dead-end or a path that leads to nowhere
- thematic: related to the central idea or topic explored in the movie
- debut: the first appearance or presentation of something
- Super Mario Bros Movie: a movie based on the popular video game franchise Super Mario
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QUICK QUIZ
- What is Barbenheimer?
- How much money did Barbie and Oppenheimer make during their openings at the box office?
- What record did Barbie set at the international box office?
- Why was director Greta Gerwig under pressure to cut a pivotal scene involving Margot Robbie, and what did she do instead?
- According to Gerwig, what is the heart of the movie Barbie, and why does she believe it is essential to keep that scene?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Barbie mania
What do you think it is about this new Barbie movie that has made it such a huge success in Australia and overseas?
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Do you think Margot Robbie is a good actor to play the famous doll?
What is it about Barbie that makes you want to see, or not want to see the film?
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Why might having a female director help the film’s success? Explain your answer.
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACVTIVITY
To sum it up
After reading the article, use your comprehension skills to summarise in a maximum of three sentences what the article is about.
Think about:
- What is the main topic or idea?
- What is an important or interesting fact?
- Who was involved (people or places)?
- Use your VCOP skills to re-read your summary to make sure it is clear, specific and well punctuated.