With 'Barbie', Greta Gerwig scores the biggest opening weekend for a female director in Hollywood

[CAPTION]Barbie (2023) directed by Greta Gerwig.[/CAPTION]
For the past weekend, theatres were decked in pink in the craze of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, a film that tells the story of Mattel’s Barbie and Ken, who are plucked from their Dream House and transposed into the real world. The film, which was estimated to make $165 million for the opening weekend domestically, as per Deadline, made $155 million in the US and Canada, making it the biggest opening for a female director. Worldwide, the film made $337 million in the first three days of its release.

_RSS_Barbie has also become the film title with the highest domestic opening of 2023, beating The Super Mario Bros’ $146 million. It also dethroned the movie for the largest-grossing day of 2023, with $70.8 million to Mario’s $54.8 million.

Greta Gerwig—who has come ahead of other female directors such as Patty Jenkins, and Lana and Lily Wachowski for the highest opening weekend—has previously directed films such as Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019).  

Here’s a list of the highest domestic box office revenue for the opening weekend for films directed by women directors in the Hollywood:

[CAPTION]Barbie poster (2023)[/CAPTION]

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023)

Opening weekend revenue: $155 million

[CAPTION]Captain Marvel poster (2019)[/CAPTION]

Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel (2019)

Opening weekend revenue: $153 million

[CAPTION]Frozen II poster (2019)[/CAPTION]

Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck’s Frozen II (2019)

Opening weekend revenue: $130 million

[CAPTION]Wonder Woman 1984 poster[/CAPTION]

Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Opening weekend revenue: $103 million

[CAPTION]The Matrix Reloaded poster (2003)[/CAPTION]

Lana and Lily Wachowski’s The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Opening weekend revenue: $92 million

[CAPTION]Fifty Shades of Grey poster (2015)[/CAPTION]

Sam Taylor-Johnson & James Foley’s Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Opening weekend revenue: $85 million

[CAPTION]Black Widow poster (2021)[/CAPTION]

Cate Shortland’s Black Widow (2021)

Opening weekend revenue: $80 million

[CAPTION]Twilight poster (2008)[/CAPTION]

Catherine Hardwicke’s Twilight (2008)

Opening weekend revenue: $70 million

(The figures are taken from Statista via Box Office Mojo, and are not adjusted for inflation.)