Barbie Rakes in Massive $20M Thursday Night Preview Haul

Barbie may be a toy, but Greta Gerwig's new film isn't playing around when it comes to the box office. For weeks, the anticipation about the double release of Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer has seen the box office projections for both films continue to increase, with Barbie eyeing an incredible $100M+ opening weekend haul. The new Warner Bros. blockbuster got off to a smashing start on Thursday, delivering the biggest preview night of the summer.

According to Deadline, the early reports from the Thursday night box office indicate that Barbie is kicking off with a whopping $20 million in previews. That bests even the latest Marvel Studios film, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 having earned $17.5 million on its preview night. 

The theaters must have been packed on Thursday, as Nolan's Oppenheimer also got off to a strong start. The film is expected to earn more than $9 million in previews, which is quite an achievement given its R-rating, three-hour runtime, and dense subject matter.

Barbie at the Box Office

Barbie is off to a blazing start at the box office, and the weekend will belong to the iconic doll and her pals. While the film is expected to earn around $100 million through Sunday, some estimates suggest it could reach as high as $140 million for the weekend.

Oppenheimer is also set for a big weekend in its own right, eying a debut north of $75 million.

The Nostalgia of Barbie

Barbie has obviously been one of the biggest toy icons around the world for decades, and the love for the character is one of the reasons why the movie is aiming to high at the box office. That said, director Greta Gerwig isn't actually a collector of the doll, but she encourages the hobby as long as it makes you happy.

"Oh, well, it's interesting because I've actually talked to some people today who are collectors who like, 'I have all the dolls and everything.' I actually, as an adult, I'm not a collector," Gerwig told ComicBook.com's Jamie Jirak. "I feel like whatever gives you the most joy. If getting Totally Yo-Yo Nikki, if that is going to make you so happy, do it." 

What Is Barbie About?

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hits theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.