Oppenheimer vs Barbie box office collection: Nolan film succeeds in India, Barbie globally

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie released in theatres on July 21. Their box office clash was highly anticipated since both films featured ensemble casts with big names. Nolan and Gerwig are acclaimed directors, which also contributed to the excitement among the viewers. The numbers from the first-weekend box office collection are out, and it reveals how the two films have fared against each other. 

4 things you need to know: 

• Barbie boasts a cast of Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie, Michael Cera and more. 
• Oppenheimer also has an ensemble cast featuring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr and others.
• Oppenheimer is based on American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. 
• Barbie is based on the titular doll. 

Barbie dominates the box office globally

The Margot Robbie starrer Barbie made $155 million domestically in the U.S. while hauling in an impressive $182 million internationally, as per Variety. Its grand total stands at a massive $337 million, with its top five major markets being the United Kingdom ($22.9 million), Mexico ($22.3 million), Brazil ($15.9 million), Australia ($14.6 million), and Spain ($9.9 million). Notably, Barbie’s budget is $145 million. 

(Director Greta Gerwig with Barbie actors Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, and more | Image: BarbieMovie/Twitter)

The Matt Damon-Robert Downey Jr starrer, on the other hand, opened with $93.7 million domestically, while bringing in a competitive figure of $174 million from foreign markets. The most profitable international markets for Oppenheimer were, after the U.S. and Canada, the United Kingdom ($9.3 million), India ($7 million), France ($6.4 million) and Germany ($6.4 million). Oppenheimer was developed with a relatively modest budget of $100 million.

(Actress Emily Blunt in a still from Oppenheimer | Image: OppenheimerFilm/Twitter)

In India: Oppenheimer mints Rs 50 crore while Barbie fails to cross Rs 20 crore 

Oppenheimer performed exceptionally well at the Indian box office. It became the highest-grossing Hollywood opener in India by reaching Rs 50 crore in its first weekend. Barbie ended up making Rs 18.5 crore, which is in stark contrast to its global performance. Oppenheimer is likely to cross the Rs 100 crore mark in India, going by the advance bookings.