'Barbie' movie sets record as biggest U.S., Canadian debut of 2023

The new "Barbie" movie brought in an estimated $155 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters over the weekend, setting a record as the biggest opening of 2023, distributor Warner Bros said on Sunday.

Director Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," about the making of the atomic bomb, rang up $80.5 million at domestic theaters in a cinema battle dubbed "Barbenheimer."

The tallies provided a lift to studios and theaters that have endured a disappointing summer so far. Ticket sales have hovered below last year despite a larger number of films at cineplexes.

"Barbie" starring Margot Robbie, is "Little Women" director Greta Gerwig's take on the iconic doll that debuted 60 years ago.

"Oppenheimer" stars Cillian Murphy as American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who developed the atomic bomb. The movie has drawn rave reviews and is expected to be a contender in the coming Academy Awards race.