by Lisa Richwine

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Distributor Warner Bros. said on Sunday that the new “Barbie” movie grossed an estimated $155 million in US and Canadian theaters over the weekend, setting a record for the biggest opening of 2023.

Director Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” about the making of the atomic bomb, grossed $80.5 million in domestic theaters in a movie battle called “Barbenheimer.”

These figures gave a boost to studios and theaters that have endured a dismal summer so far. Despite the large number of films at cineplexes, ticket sales have been lower than last year.

“Barbie” starring Margot Robbie is based on the iconic doll from “Little Women” director Greta Gerwig, which debuted 60 years ago.

In “Oppenheimer” Cillian Murphy wrote to American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who developed the atomic bomb. The film has opened to great reviews and is expected to be a contender in the upcoming Academy Awards race.