'Barbie' to top $1 billion at the global box office Sunday

"Barbie" is expected to articulation the billion-dollar nine Sunday.

The bubblegum pinkish flick from Warner Bros. Discovery and Mattel will apical $1 cardinal successful planetary summons sales, earlier the extremity of the weekend, according to estimates from the studio. Final numbers volition beryllium released Monday.

Only astir 50 different films person reached this benchmark.

"In this march past the billion-dollar threshold, 'Barbie' joins what has go an progressively exclusive nine implicit the past mates of years," said Shawn Robbins, main expert astatine BoxOffice.com. "That's particularly existent for auteur filmmaker Greta Gerwig becoming the archetypal solo pistillate manager to helm a billion-dollar grosser."

Gerwig joins Anna Boden, co-director of Disney's "Captain Marvel," arsenic the lone 2 women to helm a billion-dollar film. "Captain Marvel" reached conscionable shy of $1.13 cardinal during its theatrical tally successful 2019, according to information from Comscore.

This besides marks the archetypal billion-dollar movie for the recently minted Warner Bros. Discovery, which merged successful 2022, and only the 2nd movie released successful 2023 to bash so. Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" has topped $1.3 cardinal since its April debut.

"This monumental container bureau accomplishment for 'Barbie' shows what is imaginable erstwhile each of the elements of filmmaking, marketing, distribution, instrumentality engagement and movie theatre presumption enactment successful harmony," said Paul Dergarabedian, elder media expert from Comscore. "And a sprinkling of 'Barbenheimer' magic surely didn't wounded either."

The occurrence of "Barbie" comes astatine a clip erstwhile blockbuster-budgeted films person struggled to link with moviegoing audiences. Nostalgia bait flicks similar Disney's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" arsenic good arsenic sequels for Paramount's Mission Impossible bid and Universal's Fast and Furious franchise failed to lure successful audiences. Each movie tallied little than $200 cardinal successful home container bureau receipts.

"Barbie" shows that moviegoers are inactive funny successful leaving their couches for prime films and unsocial communal experiences. Movie theaters large and tiny announced grounds summons income successful the period of July arsenic pink-clad audiences packed theaters.

"The container bureau powerhouse isn't done yet arsenic the coming weeks connection small successful the mode of nonstop competition, giving 'Barbie' plentifulness of runway to proceed gathering connected this success," Robbins said.

Disclosure: Comcast is the genitor institution of NBCUniversal and CNBC.