Simultaneous release of blockbusters Barbie And Oppenheimer coupled with poor weather forecasts resulted in the best weekend for Quebec cinemas since the start of the pandemic.
A pink wave still swept through downtown Montreal on Sunday, two days after the premiere of Barbie. The fans had come from afar and were dressed for the occasion.
“We had decided which day we would come to see the film last April! exclaimed Saige, who came to see the film with three of her friends and her mother at the Scotiabank Cinema. The latter, Joanne, who received her first Barbie 62 years ago, tells how much it is an intergenerational phenomenon.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Arthur, Joanne, Saige, Ra’anaa and Brent are among the moviegoers who came to see Barbie.
The box office figures for the two films in Quebec should be known on Monday, but the first North American data suggested a glorious weekend.
Barbie (Warner Bros.) has reached No. 1 at the box office, grossing US$155 million so far in North American theaters across 4,243 theaters. Greta Gerwig’s film thus had the best start of the year, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. movie as well as every Marvel movie released in 2023. It also broke the first-weekend grossing record for a movie directed by a woman.
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Friends Ikram Khiari, Iniy Oundjan and Alexandrine Bleau-Quintal bought some clothes and accessories to take part in the fever Barbie.
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Several people came in small groups to see Barbie.
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Ilyes and Engelica were also there to see Barbie on the big screen.
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Everywhere in the rooms, turning your head, you could see pink!
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Less popular, but still very popular, Oppenheimer, by Christopher Nolan (Universal), also exceeded expectations, grossing $80.5 million from 3,610 theaters in the United States and Canada. This is the best result for a Christopher Nolan film outside of the Batman series. R-rated biographical dramas (films banned for those under 17 unless accompanied by an adult in the United States) rarely enjoy such popular success in their first weekend.
A long-awaited success
Their success was also felt in many theaters in the province. “A double outing, a rainy weekend at the same time, we can speak, in several cinemas, of a record weekend for several years”, confirms the spokesperson for the Association of Quebec Cinema Owners (APCQ), Robin Plamondon.
After two years marked by health measures where Quebec cinemas were unable to use their theaters to their maximum capacity, and this, before their full reopening in February 2022, this inflow of money is welcome.
“We are completely in a different spirit. All of the theaters are progressing quietly with all of the quality releases and releases”, he explains, adding that, “unquestionably”, the attraction for Barbie And Oppenheimer made them top sellers for a long time.
The media hype surrounding the two feature films certainly contributed to this record box office, but the start of the construction holidays and the poor weather forecasts of the last two days also played a role, argues Robin Plamondon.
As with any big film release, the broadcasters had taken care to ensure the proper functioning of their equipment and to have sufficient manpower to accommodate moviegoers, which is not an issue at this time of the year, specifies the spokesperson for the APCQ.
The summer period is the period when students come to reinforce our ranks. […] So yes, everyone was ready for this kind of long-awaited weekend.
Robin Plamondon, spokesperson for the Association of Quebec Cinema Owners
Other productions
Some connoisseurs who would have liked to see the film Oppenheimer in its original version, on a 70 mm tape, are however likely to be disappointed when “very few cinemas […] maintain this equipment,” says Robin Plamondon.
Michael Jensen came with his friends from Cornwall, Ontario, on purpose to see the film in this format at the Scotiabank Cinema in downtown Montreal. The Press met him on the sidewalk of Sainte-Catherine Street, through the sea of pink shirts of fans who came to see Barbie.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Michael (third from left) and his friends had traveled from Ottawa to see Oppenheimer in 70mm.
Normally, we go to see the movies in IMAX in Ottawa, but they didn’t have it [en 70 mm]so we’ve come this far.
Michael Jensen, who came from Cornwall to see Oppenheimer
The man, who also wore a pink shirt, but by chance, plans to go and see Barbie and thus complete his “Barbenheimer”? “We’re thinking about it,” he said, all smiles, next to his friends.
And for those who would like to see other big productions, several are still showing, insists Robin Plamondon. This is particularly the case ofIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyof Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and D’Elementary.
As for those who would like to encourage Quebec cinema, “the safe bet” is the film One summer time, with Patrice Robitaille, he believes. The release of the film my mother’s men, on August 4, is also highly anticipated.
“It’s almost impossible not to find a film that may interest us right now in Quebec cinemas,” concludes Robin Plamondon.
With the Associated Press