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‘Barbie’ Movie: Iconic Doll Has ‘Existential Crisis’ About Real World 

Margot Robbie attends the European premiere of "Barbie" in London, Britain July 12, 2023. (Reuters)
Margot Robbie attends the European premiere of "Barbie" in London, Britain July 12, 2023. (Reuters)
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‘Barbie’ Movie: Iconic Doll Has ‘Existential Crisis’ About Real World 

Margot Robbie attends the European premiere of "Barbie" in London, Britain July 12, 2023. (Reuters)
Margot Robbie attends the European premiere of "Barbie" in London, Britain July 12, 2023. (Reuters)

Margot Robbie recalls being at a rehearsal for the upcoming "Barbie" movie and experiencing an existential crisis.

Fortunately, lines from co-star America Ferrera's character were exactly what she needed to hear while both portraying the iconic doll and being a producer of a $145 million movie.

"She was like 'I release you from your assignment,'" Robbie said in an interview.

"I can't tell you how much weight lifted off my shoulders weirdly when she said that," Robbie added. "So I was like, ‘I've got to make this movie and it's the biggest movie I've ever produced, and I've got to answer to two humongous corporations and a director I really respect and actors.""

"Barbie" plunges into the pink world of the globally famous Mattel doll, spearheaded by Warner Bros and directed by Greta Gerwig, an Academy Award nominee for her direction of "Lady Bird" in 2017.

Similar to Robbie's existential crisis, the "Barbie" movie follows the doll who suddenly has an existential crisis in the middle of a dance number. That leads to a sequence of events that take her out of her perfect pink plastic world, forcing her into the real human world.

"Barbie" debuts on Friday and is expected to rake in more than $100 million in US theaters in its first weekend.

Even though the Barbie doll first debuted in 1959, it has taken more than 60 years for the character to get to the big screen.

Robbie, however, feels the film's message is an essential one for today's audience.

"I think we're putting a lot of expectations on ourselves to be everything and do everything and be perfect, like, this pursuit of perfection, which is impossible anyway," Robbie said.

Rather than seeking perfection, her hope is for the movie to be a gift for "anyone" that allows them to let go of their worries and "just enjoy."

For Canadian actor Ryan Gosling, who portrays the doll Ken, the film has something for everyone to appreciate.

"This movie is like an amusement park. It's like, there's a different ride for everyone, so everybody can have their own experience, and that's the beauty of it. It's kind of for everyone," he told Reuters during the "Barbie" world premiere in Los Angeles.

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Entertainment

'Weapons' Horror Film Scores Box Office Victory

Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
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'Weapons' Horror Film Scores Box Office Victory

Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Zach Cregger arrives at the premiere of "Weapons" on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

It’s August, and horror and humor came to play.

In a month that’s long been known to let edgier movies thrive, Zach Cregger’s highly anticipated horror film “Weapons” did not disappoint, topping the box office during its debut weekend with $42.5 million domestically from 3,202 theaters. It made $70 million internationally.

The film’s success also handed its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures, the seventh No. 1 opening of the year, and became the studio’s sixth film in a row to debut with over $40 million domestically.

“Freakier Friday,” Disney’s chaotic sequel to the 2003 classic, “Freaky Friday,” took the second spot during its premiere weekend, earning $29 million in 3,975 North American theaters. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis return, this time for a double body-swapping between the mother-daughter duo and Lohan’s teen daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter.

Viral marketing tactics, coupled with strong social media word-of-mouth, boded well for both films’ success, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore.

“The top two films could not be more different, and that’s what makes this weekend so appealing for moviegoers,” Dergarabedian said. “Both are perfectly tailored for their audiences to react in real time over the weekend to these films and then post on social media.”

“Weapons” transports audiences to the small town of Maybrook, where 17 kids up and leave their homes at 2:17 a.m., leaving bewildered parents in their wake. The town is left to navigate the lingering effects of trauma through horror, paranoia and a touch of existential humor.

The film is Cregger’s follow-up to his solo directorial debut with the 2022 genre-bending horror, “Barbarian.” That critically-acclaimed film had a slower start and smaller budget, but still topped the charts during its premiere with $10 million domestically and made a splash in the genre.

“Weapons” generated a lot of buzz for its strong reviews (95% on Rotten Tomatoes).
“The internet’s exploding right now between Friday and today. You just see that people are having a great time with it,” said Jeffrey Goldstein, president of global distribution for Warner Bros. “It starts with an exceptional movie, an exceptional marketing campaign, and the date was exceptional too.”

The success of the comedy-horror double premiere meant “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” surrendered its two-week run in the top spot and landed in the third position, bringing in $15.5 million domestically. The superhero movie enjoyed a strong $118 million debut, but stumbled in its second weekend.

“The Bad Guys 2,” which got a healthy start at the No. 2 spot during its premiere weekend, came in fourth place, earning $10.4 million domestically. “The Naked Gun” had a similar fate, reaching the fifth position with $8.4 million in North American theaters.

“Jurassic World Rebirth,” which came in seventh this week, is expected to hit $800 million globally by Monday, according to NBC Universal, following a successful run in theaters.

Warner Bros. started off slow this year, but made a comeback with the box-office hit, “A Minecraft Movie,” which opened with $157 million domestically. Since then, movies like “Sinners,” “Superman” and now, “Weapons,” have found success.

The studio set “a blueprint to how to create a perfect summer lineup,” Dergarabedian said.

“Weapons ”also joins a stream of successful horror movies this year, its opening numbers coming in just behind “Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “Sinners.”