Officially, Gran Turismo Passes Barbie

National Cinema Day throws a wrinkle into race
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 27, 2023 1:45 PM CDT
Gran Turismo - Barbie Race Is Almost Too Close to Call
This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Sang Heon Lee, Darren Barnet, Archie Madekwe, Emelia Hartford, and Pepe Barroso Silva in a scene from "Gran Turismo."   (Gordon Timpen/Columbia Pictures/Sony Entertainment via AP)

Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story and Barbie are in a dead heat for the box-office crown, with the video game adaptation just edging Greta Gerwig's pop sensation, according to studio estimates Sunday. Sony Pictures reported that Gran Turismo opened with $17.3 million over the weekend, while Warner Bros. estimated that Barbie, in its sixth week of release, took in $17.1 million. Those totals could change when final ticket sales are counted Monday. Due to a few wrinkles, it's all but certain that Barbie sold more tickets than any other movie Friday through Sunday, even if Gran Turismo is claiming the crown, the AP reports.

One reason: It was an unusual weekend in multiplexes. US movie theaters held the second National Cinema Day on Sunday, with $4 tickets to all films and showtimes at nearly all of the country's theaters. Barbie was expected to be easily the top draw during the discounted day, with a particular boost coming from repeat viewings. With a domestic total of $594.8 million in ticket sales, Barbie has passed The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($574 million) to become the year's biggest domestic hit. With $1.34 billion worldwide, Barbie will also soon surpass the leading $1.35 billion worldwide tally of Mario.

Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

  1. Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, $17.3 million.
  2. Barbie, $17.1 million.
  3. Blue Beetle, $12.8 million.
  4. Oppenheimer, $9 million.
  5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, $6.1 million.
  6. Meg 2: The Trench, $5.1 million.
  7. Strays, $4.7 million.
  8. Retribution, $3.3 million.
  9. The Hill, $2.5 million.
  10. Haunted Mansion, $2.1 million.
(More box office stories.)

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