Blockbuster 'Barbie' appears to be the first-ever woman-directed movie to cross $1 billion in sales of tickets worldwide

Barbie reached $1 billion in box office ticket sales worldwide, making it the biggest movie ever directed by a woman. The fantasy-comedy movie has taken in $459 million from domestic theaters (the United States and Canada) and $572.1 million overseas, for a total of $1.0315 billion, according to Warner Bros. Pictures. Oscar-nominated writer and director Greta Gerwig also became the first female filmmaker to surpass the billion-dollar benchmark as a solo director. The film drew $127 million worldwide this weekend (Friday through Sunday), with $53 million in domestic receipts and another $74 million overseas, according to Comscore data.

“As distribution chiefs, we're not often rendered speechless by a film's performance, but Barbillion has blown even our most optimistic predictions out of the water," Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, and Andrew Cripps, president of international distribution, said in a statement. Barbie's ticket sales rank second this year to The Super Mario Bros., which was released in April and has raked in a total of $1.357 billion at the box office.

In modern box office history, just 53 movies have made over $1 billion, not accounting for inflation. Barbie is now the biggest to be directed by one woman, surpassing Wonder Woman's $821.8 million global total. Three movies that were co-directed by women are still ahead of Barbie, including Frozen ($1.3 billion) and Frozen 2 ($1.45 billion), both co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Captain Marvel ($1.1 billion), co-directed by Anna Boden. However, Barbie has passed Captain Marvel domestically with $459.4 million (versus $426.8 million), thereby claiming the North American record for live-action movies directed by women.

The success of Barbie is a major milestone for women in Hollywood. Gerwig is only the fifth woman to ever direct a movie that has grossed over $1 billion worldwide. She is also the first woman to do so with a live-action comedy. The film's success is also a testament to the power of the Barbie brand. The Mattel doll has been a cultural phenomenon for decades, and the movie has been able to tap into that nostalgia while also appealing to a new generation of fans. Barbie is a major win for Warner Bros. Pictures, and it is sure to have a lasting impact on the film industry. It is a testament to the power of female directors and the strength of the Barbie brand.