It’s been a long (and very pink) run, but Barbie (2023) has finally been dethroned.
In the month since its release, Barbie has proved itself an indomitable force. Starring Margot Robbie as the eponymous iconic doll and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the film’s themes of girlhood, feminism, and the patriarchy have won over critics and audiences alike.

At the worldwide box office, Barbie has pulled in an estimated $1.212 billion on a $145 million budget. That doesn’t just make it successful – it makes Barbie a colossal hit, breaking Warner Bros. records, overtaking The Dark Knight (2008), and becoming one of the fastest movies to reach the billion-dollar club in history.
In terms of the historic Barbenheimer battle, Barbie has definitely come out on top – beating Oppenheimer (2023) in terms of numbers, at least. However, it’s inevitable that after a month on the top, its grip would slowly start to slip from the number one position, as is happening right now.

According to Variety, another Warner Bros. property is displacing Barbie at the domestic box office. The latest installment in its struggling DC franchise – and the second-to-last before James Gunn officially takes the helm and reboots the DC Universe – has just hit theaters and is headed for the top spot.
Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, Blue Beetle (2023) follows Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) as he gains superpowers from an alien scarab. Originally intended to be a direct-to-streaming release, it was later upgraded to the big screen, where it’s gained surprisingly impressive reviews from critics.

Related: ‘Blue Beetle’ Movie Almost Canceled, Director Tells All
Considering the fact that it follows The Flash (2023) – AKA the biggest Warner Bros. box office bomb of all time – financial expectations were low. While the film definitely isn’t seeing the best superhero box office performance ever, it pulled in $10 million domestically on its first day. In comparison, Barbie made $6 million.
General sentiment towards DC movies is pretty low after The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). That’s why we wouldn’t be surprised if Blue Beetle becomes a slow-burner, similar to the results seen by Pixar’s Elemental (2023), as word-of-mouth promotes the film. Whatever its final performance, at least it can say it snatched Barbie’s hot-pink crown.
Are you planning on seeing Blue Beetle? Let us know in the comments!