Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” movie continues to break box office records and is now the U.S. film studio’s highest grossing domestic release.
Director Greta Gerwig’s movie, released July 21, had topped $541 million as of Thursday, passing up its predecessor, “The Dark Knight,” according to The Numbers, a box-office data website.
The 2008 superhero film, directed by British-American director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan, previously held the record with $533 million, the site is reporting.
Globally, “Barbie” is closing in on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II” as the highest-grossing Warner Bros. movie ever, The Numbers reports. The 2011 release, which capped off the original “Harry Potter” series, hauled in $1.3 billion around the world, bolstered by $934 million in box office sales outside the U.S.
So far, “Barbie,” still in theaters as of mid-August, has earned more than $1.2 billion globally, the site reported. The movie features stars including Australian actress Margot Robbie and Canadian actor Ryan Gosling.
“The Dark Night” earned nearly $999 billion globally, according to the site.
Move over, ‘Barbie’:Why ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ is the gayest movie this summer
‘Man-hating’?‘Barbie’ music producer Mark Ronson slams Bill Maher for bashing film as ‘man-hating’
Other Warner Bros. high-earning domestic releases
Falling third in line for Warner Bros. highest domestic grossing release is Nolan’s 2012 film “The Dark Knight Rises,” which garnered more than $448 million domestically and more than $1 billion globally, according to the site. Wonder Woman, released in 2017, came in fourth domestically at $412 million behind “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, released in 2011 ($381 million).
Here’s a look at the full top 10 of highest grossing Warner Bros. releases ever, per The Numbers:
- Barbie (2023): $541,890,865
- The Dark Knight (2008): $533,720,947
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012): $448,139,099
- Wonder Woman (2017): $412,563,408
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (2011): $381,193,157
- The Batman (2022): $369,345,583
- American Sniper (2014): $350,126,372
- Joker (2019): $335,451,311
- Aquaman (2018): $335,061,807
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016): $330,360,194
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.
