Summary

  • Starring and produced by Margot Robbie, Barbie has been a massive hit for Warner Bros., with $1.2 billion and counting earned at the box office.
  • Robbie was previously reported to be making around $50 million for her involvement in the film, but Hollywood insider Matt Belloni now claims that this figure isn't correct.
  • Belloni doesn't reveal how much Robbie is making from Barbie, but says that $50 million is "ridiculously low" and that the real amount is far more.

Barbie star Margot Robbie is actually set to earn far more for the film than originally thought, with a new report claiming that it's much more than $50 million. Directed by Greta Gerwig, Warner Bros.' new film based on the iconic Mattel doll has been a monster hit with audiences and critics alike. Starring and produced by Robbie, Barbie has been a box office sensation, with over $1.2 billion and counting having been earned so far.

After a report from Variety previously stated that Robbie was set to earn around $50 million for her role in the film, Hollywood insider Matt Belloni now claims on his podcast The Town that the actor is actually set for a much larger payday.

While Belloni doesn't reveal how much the star will actually be making from Barbie's massive success, he stresses that $50 million is far lower than the actual amount she'll be taking home. Check out Belloni's full comment below:

“By the way, that’s low. That is ridiculously low. I heard it’s way higher. There was a Variety report that she’s going to get $50M dollars in Barbie, it’s actually more than that."

Why Barbie Has Been Such A Success

Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) standing outside Barbie's Dream House in party clothes

First getting its start back in 1959, Mattel's Barbie doll is one of the most iconic and recognizable toys in history. The level of cultural awareness for the toy is incredibly high, which means a movie about it is, right off the bat, presumably going to have something of a built-in audience. Making a movie about a recognizable piece of IP alone, however, is far from a guarantee of success.

Gerwig's unique take on the doll is part what has helped to propel the film to such great heights. Instead of doing a straightforward and by-the-book adaptation, Barbie still feels like a movie made by a filmmaker with a vision and a point of view. Gerwig's vision and the undeniable star power of Robbie and Ken actor Ryan Gosling worked in tandem with a genius marketing campaign from Warner Bros, which kept the film's plot shrouded in mystery and teased that the movie is for people who dislike the Barbie doll as much as for those who love it.

Of course, the viral "Barbenheimer" phenomenon has also played an indispensable role, with the shared release date of Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer creating a level of excitement, engagement, and awareness that has massively benefited both movies. It remains to be seen if Robbie's actual payday amount for Barbie will be revealed, but the film's success is a testament to what can happen when talent, marketing, and luck all converge at the right time.

Source: The Town with Matthew Belloni