The phenomenal success ofBarbiehas catapultedGreta Gerwigstraight to the A-list. Which isn’t to say that she didn’t pay her dues. Gerwig has had a traditionally gradual rise up the ranks, which is in stark contrast to many young filmmakers who have been handed major franchise movies after having delivered an indie hit or two. And even though everybody knew thatBarbiewould be a home run for Warner Bros’, nobody could’ve predicted exactly how massive it would eventually become.
After three full weeks in theaters, the movie passed three major milestones on one day. The movie crossed the $500 million mark domestically on Friday, after having already shot past the $1 billion mark globally some days ago. By doing so, it has become the highest-grossing film by a female director at the domestic box office, overtakingFrozen II, directed byJennifer LeeandChris Buck.Barbieis now also the highest-grossing live-action movie by a female director at the global box office, overtaking the $1.13 billion lifetime haul ofCaptain Marvel, directed byAnna BodenandRyan Fleck.
Gerwig first broke out as the co-director ofNights and Weekends, alongside mumblecore maverickJoe Swanberg. She made her solo directorial debut with the acclaimedLady Bird, which grossed nearly $80 million worldwide, and earned her Oscar nominations in the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay categories. She followed it up withLittle Women, which grossed over $200 million globally, and earned Gerwig her third Academy Award nod, this time in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.
Gerwig Meticulously Worked Her Way to the Top
WhileLady Birdonly cost $10 million to produce, Gerwig leveled up with a $40 million budget forLittle Women. Barbie is by far her most expensive film, with a reported budget in the $150 million range.Ridley Scottwould approve of this career path; in a 2017 interview withVulture, the legendary filmmaker said that it is “stupid” of studios to hand inexperienced filmmakers $180 million budgets to make massive tent pole movies. Instead, he said, directors should “grow into it, little by little.” “Start low-budget, get a little bit bigger, maybe after $20 million, you’re able to go to $80 (million). But don’t suddenly go to $160 (million),” he said.
The world is now Gerwig’s oyster. While there have been obvious talks aboutaBarbiefollow-up, Gerwig is currently attached to helmtwo Narnia moviesfor Netflix. Based on the popular Mattel toyline,Barbieoffers a satirical and subversive take on themes like patriarchy, existentialism and feminism. The movie starsMargot RobbieandRyan Goslingin the central roles, and marks a much-needed box office victory for them after a series of disappointing results. You can watch our interview with Gerwig here, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
