Living in the «Barbie» world might not be as idyllic as we’ve been led to believe since our days of playing with those famous plastic dolls, but it certainly brings in the money. Led by the stellar Greta Gerwig, the movie has become the first solo-directed film by a woman to gross $1 billion globally.
Its star and one of its executive producers, Margot Robbie, seemed to have a clear vision of the film’s impending success when she picked up the phone to make the request to Gerwig. «I think I told them that it’d make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!» she said in a recent interview with Collider.
In this moment of celebration that reminds us of «who run the world» (girls, by the way), let’s recap some of the highest-grossing films directed by women. Here’s our top 5.
«Brave» is one of the films that will surely inspire millions of girls worldwide. It focuses on the story of the brave Princess Mérida of DunBroch, who challenges an ancient tradition and must deal with a series of problems that follow. An animated film directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews, it won over critics and managed to gross $538,983,207.
There aren’t enough comics on Earth to explain the significance of women in the DC universe. «Wonder Woman», one of the most powerful superheroines, capable of captivating the imaginations of children worldwide, finally got her well-deserved film in 2017. Directed by Patty Jenkins, it grossed $822,854,286.
And we continue with superheroes, this time in the Marvel universe. «Captain Marvel» was one of the most anticipated releases of 2019, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Set in 1995, the film follows Carol Danvers as she becomes Captain Marvel after the whole world becomes embroiled in a galactic conflict between two alien civilizations. This adventure managed to amass a staggering $1,131,416,446.
A double win for one of the most epic recent animated film franchises in history, which brought songs like «Let It Go» and characters like Anna, Elsa, and Olaf to fame. «Frozen» made history by grossing $1,453,683,476, directed by Jennifer Lee in her directorial debut alongside Chris Buck. Six years later, in 2019, its second installment arrived, again led by Lee and Buck, reclaiming $1,284,540,518. This renowned saga, apart from its box office success, has also garnered numerous awards, including Oscars and Annie Awards.
So, have you seen Barbie yet? There’s no doubt that its $1 billion profits will keep on rising!