If you had told me a decade ago that a Barbie adaptation would rake in a billion dollars at the box office, I would have thought you mad. But now, the plastic princess is not just a toy anymore; she's a cinematic sensation.
, Barbie's recent theatrical debut is set to contribute over $125 million to Mattel's revenue this year. The Warner Bros. film has already crossed $1.4 billion worldwide. That's right, billion with a 'B'. Mattel's Chief financial officer, Anthony DiSilvestro, acknowledged the film's impressive performance, terming it a "nice contribution" that will bring in more money through 2024 and beyond.
To put this into perspective, Barbie has already surpassed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2's worldwide revenue, making it the highest-grossing Warner Bros. film. With Barbie setting the gold standard, Mattel's CEO, Ynon Kreiz, believes that Barbie's cinematic success is the perfect "template" for future Mattel films.
What you saw around the Barbie movie was, we believe, a template, a case study, an opportunity to truly understand the value and appeal that our brands have, the cultural resonance, and, importantly, our ability to execute these projects both creatively and commercially. We hope and expect to have more. I'm not saying it will be as big or as successful as Barbie, but it will be the same approach.