The “Barbie” movie, from director Greta Gerwig, scored the largest opening weekend of 2023, pulling in $155 million domestically over its US opening weekend and $337 million globally. “Barbie” is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz declared the movie was more than a theatrical spectacle.
In total, he said Mattel has locked in more than 165 partnerships with brands and retailers related to the movie. The strong movie-fueled demand for Barbie merchandise should also help give Mattel a much-needed sales boost later this year. The toymaker on Wednesday signaled it is still wading through sluggishness in overall industry sales amid cautious consumer spending on discretionary goods.