Barbie: Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav Calls Greta Gerwig "Extraordinary Genuis"

Not only has Barbie been the hit of the summer, but it's now the highest-grossing film of 2023. Barbie has been breaking box office records left and right, and it is officially Warner Bros.'s highest-grossing movie of all time. The film is also getting an IMAX release this month featuring new footage, which means its final total will likely be more than originally estimated. Considering Barbie's extreme box office success, it's no surprise Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav gave director Greta Gerwig a shoutout during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology conference on Wednesday (via Yahoo!). 

"Greta Gerwig gets the most credit. She's an extraordinary genius," Zaslav said when asked what lessons Warner Bros. was taking from the film reaching number one at the box office, adding that Gerwig "worked very effectively" and "right down to the wire" with the marketing team. "Every division of this company got behind Barbie," Zaslav explained. "Every asset that we have was turned pink." He added, "When we get something we believe in, we can really drive it." 

David Zaslav Joins Film Academy:

David Zaslav was joined by Taylor Swift, Ke Huy Quan and 396 other artists and executives who were invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June. If all invitees accept, the Academy's voting membership will total 9375. 

"The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). "They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide."

According to the Academy, the 2023 invitees group includes 40% who identify as women, 34% who belong to underrepresented ethnic or racial communities, and 52% are from 50 countries and territories outside of the United States. The list includes 76 Oscar nominees, including 22 winners. If all invitees accept, the Academy's overall membership makeup will be 34% women, 18% nonwhite, and 20% non-American.

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 hit 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. 

Barbie is coming to digital on September 12th.