Barbie May Win Back Box Office First Place Over Gran Turismo in Close Race

Even with Gran Turismo speeding into theaters, the Barbie movie may return to the top spot at the box office this weekend. The winner likely depends on how much boost Barbie receives on Sunday from National Cinema Day, with tickets costing $4 each. Given Barbie‘s sensational popularity, analysts suspect holdouts may finally go to a theater to see the movie that’s created such a buzz, and those who already love the film will return to theaters to see it again. Gran Turismo . It’s projected to take in $15-16 million over the weekend.

Barbie is projected to earn within the same range. That would bring its record-breaking box office total to $593 million.

Blue Beetle, the DC movie that opened at the top of the box office last weekend, earned $3 million on Friday. It’s on its way to an estimated $10.5 million second weekend, bringing its box office total to $44 million.

Oppenheimer, the other half of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, is poised for $7.8 million this weekend after earning $2.2 million on Friday. Its total will reach almost $299 million by the end of the weekend.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will round out the top five in its fourth weekend at the box office. After earning $1.5 million on Friday, the animated film will take in $5.9 million for the weekend, bringing its box office total to shy of $98 million.

Gran Turismo, Barbie, Blue Beetle, Oppenheimer, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem are all playing in theaters now. The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend follows.

1. Gran Turismo

• Opening Weekend
• Total: $16.5 million

The true story of a team of unlikely underdogs — a working-class gamer, a former race-car driver, and an idealistic motorsport executive — who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

Neill Blomkamp directed Gran Turismo from a screenplay by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin, based on Polyphony Digital’s series of racing simulation video games. The film stars Archie Madekwe., David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou. 

2. Barbie

• Week Six
• Weekend: $15.7 million
• Total: $593.4 million
  

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.

3. Blue Beetle

• Week Two
• Weekend: $10 million
• Total: $43.5 million
  

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Blue Beetle, which arrives in theaters on August 18th, marking the DC superhero’s first time on the big screen. The film, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridueña in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

Starring alongside Maridueña are Adriana Barraza, Damían Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez (the “Rio and “Smurf” franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guillén. Soto directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.

4. Oppenheimer

• Week Six
• Weekend: $8 million
• Total: $299 million
  

During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.

Christopher Nolan wrote and directed Oppenheimer based on the American Prometheus, the 2005 biography written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Tom Conti, and Kenneth Branagh.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

• Week Three
• Weekend: $5.6 million
  
• Total: $97.6 million

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

6. The Meg 2: The Trench

• Week Four
• Weekend: $4.1 million
• Total: $73.4 million
  

Jonas Taylor leads a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal, prehistoric sharks and relentless environmental plunderers, they must outrun, outsmart and outswim their merciless predators.

Ben Wheatley directed The Meg 2: The Trench from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris, based on Steve Alten’s 1999 novel The Trench. It stars Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis.

7. Strays

• Week Two
• Weekend: $4.05 million
• Total: $15.5 million
  

Abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug, a naive but lovable dog named Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier and his gang of strays. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie and his new canine pals embark on an epic adventure to get him home and make Doug pay for his dirty deed.

Josh Greenbaum directed Strays from a screenplay by Dan Perrault. It stars Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Will Forte, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Brett Gelman, Jamie Demetriou and Sofía Vergara.

8. Retribution

• Opening Weekend
• Total: $3.39 million

While driving with his two kids, a man receives a phone call from an unknown assailant who claims there is a bomb in the car. Unable to exit the vehicle, he must now follow a series of twisted instructions while trying to figure out how to survive.

Nimród Antal directed Retribution from a screenplay by Chris Salmanpour, remaking the Spanish movie El desconocido. The movie stars Liam Neeson, Noma Dumezweni, Lilly Aspell, Jack Champion, Embeth Davidtz, and Matthew Modine.

9. Golda

• Opening Weekend
• Total: $2.6 million

Faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, Prime Minister Golda Meir must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as millions of lives hang in the balance during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Guy Nattiv directed Golda from a screenplay by Nicholas Martin. It stars Helen Mirren, Camille Cottin and Liev Schreiber. 

10. The Hill

• Opening Weekend
• Total; $2.52 million

Growing up impoverished in small-town Texas, young Rickey Hill shows an extraordinary ability for hitting a baseball, despite being burdened by leg braces from a degenerative spinal disease. His stern, pastor father discourages Rickey from playing baseball to protect him from injury, and to have him follow in his footsteps and become a preacher. As a young man, Rickey becomes a baseball phenomenon. His desire to participate in a try-out for a legendary major league scout divides the family and threatens Rickey’s dream of playing professional baseball.

Jeff Celentano directed The Hill from a screenplay written by Angelo Pizzo and Scott Marshall Smith. It stars Dennis Quaid, Colin Ford, Joelle Carter, Randy Houser, Jesse Berry, Bonnie Bedelia and Scott Glenn.