Against all odds, the Barbie movie has been gaining momentum in China, notwithstanding a rocky start marked by low screening rates. During the height of the summer movie season, where local blockbusters tend to dominate, Barbie has shown remarkable resilience and is experiencing growing box office revenues.
Online ticketing platform Maoyan reveals that the Barbie movie had pulled in nearly 100 million yuan (around $14 million) in total in the Chinese mainland market as of Monday. This was just five days into its release, a time during which its screening rate had risen to 9.9 percent, a substantial increase from the initial 2.4 percent on its release day.
Despite being dwarfed by its US performance, where it raked in an impressive $155 million over the weekend, the movie’s growth in China is noteworthy. Particularly so, considering that on Monday, the Barbie movie managed to secure third place at the daily box office in the mainland. It was bested only by two local productions – filmmaker Wuershan’s highly anticipated fantasy epic, Creation of the Gods (with over 42 million yuan), and Light Chaser Animation’s latest venture, Chang An (earning more than 28 million yuan). These two domestic heavyweights commanded screening rates of 22.7 percent and 18.7 percent, respectively.
What’s particularly intriguing about the Barbie movie‘s trajectory in China is the increased buzz surrounding it on Chinese social media platforms. Conversations and discussions about the film are proliferating online, encouraging cinemas to allot more screens to the movie.
Beyond the silver screen, the Barbie movie’s impact is also being felt in retail. Several Chinese lifestyle retailers reported that their Barbie collections sold out mere days after hitting the shelves.
However, the film’s success isn’t just about a popular doll and her adventures. Chinese audiences are engaging in meaningful dialogues around the movie, particularly on the themes of gender equality and real-world concerns mirrored in the movie, such as appearance anxiety.
Observers note that the Barbie movie, like the Chinese film Lost in the Stars, has tapped into something crucial – it addresses real-life issues, thereby resonating deeply with audiences. Chinese critics suggest that this is a valuable lesson Hollywood should take on board, instead of assuming that Chinese audiences will consume any exported content.
The Barbie movie signifies Barbie’s journey of self-discovery, and there’s an undercurrent suggesting that US media and Hollywood should also embark on a similar quest. This would entail gaining a profound understanding of Chinese audiences, their preferences, and their issues. Respecting these could potentially earn Hollywood a stronger foothold in the Chinese market, critics argue. This assertion paints the Barbie movie not only as a rising success in China but also as a potential roadmap for Hollywood’s future endeavors in the region.
READ MORE: