‘Barbie’ Continues to Rule the Box Office as ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Sinks Without a Trace

The summer of 2023 has been dominated by two movies that have defied all expectations and broken numerous records: ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’. The former, a satirical comedy based on the iconic doll, and the latter, a historical thriller about the father of the atomic bomb, have been dubbed ‘Barbenheimer’ by fans and critics alike. Together, they have grossed over $2 billion worldwide and revitalized the movie theater industry after the pandemic slump.

However, not every movie has been able to ride the wave of Barbenheimer’s success. One of the most notable flops of the season is ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’, a horror film based on a chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula. The film, which follows the doomed crew of a merchant ship that transports Dracula from Transylvania to London, has been languishing in development hell for more than two decades. It finally hit the theaters on August 11, 2023, but failed to make an impression on audiences and critics.

‘Barbie’ Continues to Rule the Box Office as ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Sinks Without a Trace
‘Barbie’ Continues to Rule the Box Office as ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Sinks Without a Trace

‘Barbie’ Breaks More Records in Its Fourth Week

‘Barbie’, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie as the titular character, has been a surprise hit since its release on July 21, 2023. The film, which parodies the doll’s unrealistic standards of beauty and perfection, has received rave reviews for its witty script, sharp satire, and stellar performances. Robbie, who also produced the film, has been praised for her comedic chops and her fearless portrayal of Barbie’s existential crisis.

The film has also been a box office juggernaut, earning $155 million domestically in its opening weekend and becoming the first film to join the $1 billion club in global box office sales in 2023. It is currently the second highest-grossing domestic film of the year, behind ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, which has earned $543 million so far. However, ‘Barbie’ is expected to surpass it soon, as it continues to draw crowds in its fourth week.

According to Box Office Mojo, ‘Barbie’ raked in an estimated $33.7 million this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $525 million and its worldwide total to nearly $1.2 billion. The film has also broken several records, such as:

  • The highest-grossing comedy film of all time, surpassing ‘The Hangover Part II’ ($586 million).
  • The highest-grossing film directed by a woman, surpassing ‘Wonder Woman’ ($822 million).
  • The highest-grossing film based on a toy property, surpassing ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ ($1.12 billion).

‘Oppenheimer’ Holds Strong at Number Two

‘Oppenheimer’, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy as the physicist who led the Manhattan Project, has been another critical and commercial success this summer. The film, which explores the moral dilemmas and personal conflicts of Oppenheimer and his team as they develop the first atomic bomb, has been hailed as a masterpiece of filmmaking and storytelling. Murphy, who previously worked with Nolan on ‘Inception’ and ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’, has been lauded for his nuanced and captivating performance as Oppenheimer.

The film has also been a box office smash, earning $147 million domestically in its opening weekend and becoming Nolan’s second highest-grossing debut after ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ ($160 million). It is currently the third highest-grossing domestic film of the year, behind ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, with $483 million. It has also grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it Nolan’s fifth film to achieve this feat.

According to Box Office Mojo, ‘Oppenheimer’ earned an estimated $28.4 million this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $483 million and its worldwide total to $1.03 billion. The film has also broken several records, such as:

  • The highest-grossing historical film of all time, surpassing ‘Titanic’ ($659 million).
  • The highest-grossing biographical film of all time, surpassing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ ($903 million).
  • The highest-grossing film about World War II of all time, surpassing ‘Saving Private Ryan’ ($482 million).

‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Sinks at Number Eight

‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’, directed by André Øvredal and starring Corey Hawkins as a doctor who joins the crew of a ship that carries Dracula from Transylvania to London, has been a disappointment both critically and commercially. The film, which is based on “The Captain’s Log”, a chapter from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula that details the mysterious deaths of the crew members, has been criticized for its lackluster execution, poor pacing, and weak scares. Hawkins, who previously starred in ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and ‘Kong: Skull Island’, has been panned for his bland and unconvincing performance as Clemens.

The film has also been a box office bomb, earning only $2.6 million domestically in its opening weekend and becoming one of the worst debuts of the year. It is currently the eighth highest-grossing domestic film of the weekend, behind ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘Jungle Cruise’, ‘Free Guy’, ‘Old’, and ‘Black Widow’. It has also grossed only $6.5 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest flops of the year.

According to Box Office Mojo, ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ earned an estimated $1.2 million this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $2.6 million and its worldwide total to $6.5 million. The film has also failed to break any records, except for:

  • The lowest-grossing film based on Dracula of all time, surpassing ‘Dracula 2000’ ($33 million).
  • The lowest-grossing film directed by Øvredal of all time, surpassing ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ ($105 million).
  • The lowest-grossing film starring Hawkins of all time, surpassing ‘BlacKkKlansman’ ($93 million).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *