Greta Gerwig Becomes First Female Director to Surpass US$1 Billion at the Box Office

Acclaimed film director Greta Gerwig has made history after her latest movie, Barbie, exceeded US$1 billion in earnings globally, making her the first ever female director to join the one billion dollar club.

Gerwig, who celebrated her birthday on August 4, received the ultimate birthday gift as Barbie astonishingly collected a remarkable US$1.03 billion at the box office after just 17 days, as announced by Warner Bros.

Thanks to its wildly successful marketing campaign and its simultaneous release with Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer that ignited the "Barbenheimer '' cultural phenomenon, it comes as no surprise for the blockbuster comedy to hit the milestone. Moviegoers can even be seen wearing pink at cinemas to watch the film.

At the time of writing, Barbie, a cinematic sensation starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, had earned an incredible US$459 million domestically and an additional US$572 million internationally. According to Box Office Mojo, these remarkable figures were recorded since the film's premiere on July 21.

“This is a watershed moment for Barbie, and no one but Greta Gerwig could have brought this cross-generational icon and her world to life in such a funny, emotional and entertaining story, one that is resonating with all four quadrants of moviegoers and literally turning the entire world pink,” Warner Bros. Pictures said in a statement.

Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Lady Bird and Little Women, co-wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach.

In an interview with Collider last month, Margot Robbie said, “I think I told them they’d make a billion dollars which, maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make!” And she was right, of course. Queen.