By Lisa Richwine

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The much-hyped “Barbenheimer” field workplace battle over the weekend proved to be a win for film theaters that wanted so as to add some sizzle to their summer season.

Ticket gross sales for the movie trade’s largest season had been disappointing by means of a lot of June and July. “The Flash” flopped, a brand new “Indiana Jones” journey underwhelmed, and Tom Cruise’s newest “Mission: Not possible” film opened wanting expectations.

Enter “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” two polar reverse motion pictures that debuted concurrently in a matchup dubbed “Barbenheimer.”

“Barbie” stars Margot Robbie in a brightly coloured comedy concerning the iconic doll, whereas “Oppenheimer” tells a haunting story concerning the making of the atomic bomb.

The 2 titles had cinemas buzzing over the weekend and crammed with “Barbie” followers wearing pink. Home ticket gross sales for all motion pictures topped $300 million in the USA and Canada for simply the fourth time in historical past.

“Everyone was in,” stated Jeff Bock, senior field workplace analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. “All demographics confirmed up for these two movies, and it is precisely what Hollywood wanted.”

Cinema going nonetheless lags pre-pandemic ranges, prompting nagging questions on whether or not audiences have grown content material to look at motion pictures at dwelling.

Hopes have been excessive going into the summer season as COVID-clogged manufacturing pipelines cleared and studios scheduled 30% extra movies than final summer season. However by means of mid-July, 2023 summer season field workplace receipts have been operating about 7% beneath final yr.

‘BARBIE’ SHINES

Then, “Barbenheimer” grew to become a cultural second. AMC Leisure (NYSE:), the world’s largest theater chain, stated final week that greater than 20,000 folks had bought tickets to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the identical day.

“Barbie” received the debut weekend battle with an estimated $155 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket gross sales. That ranked as the most important opening of 2023 and for any film directed by a lady.

“I am tickled pink at this historic weekend,” gushed Jeff Goldstein, head of home theatrical distribution at Warner Bros, the studio that launched “Barbie.” “Individuals are having a good time. The dialog is so upbeat and so optimistic.”

Barbie maker Mattel Inc (NASDAQ:) had launched an all-out world advertising and marketing blitz to stoke the frenzy. “Barbie” took in $337 million worldwide.

Not the entire “Barbie” buzz was optimistic. Some U.S. Republicans objected to a map within the film that they stated was pro-China, which prompted Vietnam to ban the movie. Warner Bros stated “Barbie” was not making a geopolitical assertion.

“Oppenheimer,” from Comcast Corp (NASDAQ:)’s Common Photos, took in $174 million globally, together with $80.5 million within the U.S. and Canada, a powerful begin for a three-hour grownup drama. The movie stars Cillian Murphy as scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Whereas Hollywood celebrated the busy weekend, cinemas face a thinning slate forward. The subsequent huge motion film is November’s “Dune – Half 2.”

The trade is also grappling with strikes by Hollywood writers and actors, which may delay some upcoming titles, and nonetheless faces the truth that many 2023 titles fell flat.

“Numerous these blockbusters simply did not go over effectively,” Bock stated. “That is an issue for Hollywood as a result of most of us anticipated the trade to blow away the summer season of 2022.”