Greta Gerwig says she wouldn’t have been given the chance to make ‘Barbie’ if not for the success of ‘Wonder Woman’

Christopher Rosen
·3 min read
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Greta Gerwig made history this weekend with the blockbuster success of “Barbie.” Not only does its opening weekend gross – which, as of now, is headed north of $150 million – make her just the second solo female live-action director in history to crack the $100 million barrier, the total figure will stand as a new benchmark for individual women filmmakers. Previously, Patty Jenkins held the record thanks to the success of “Wonder Woman” in 2017.

“I feel like I’ve been trying to manage expectations and not want to jinx anything,” Gerwig said in an interview with Indiewire this week when the prospect of her film’s success was broached. “The thing I’ve been focusing on is that it is connecting with people and that people are feeling the joy that I hope that they would feel. That is the thing that I can hang my hat on in a way that doesn’t make me feel like I’m going to spin out into outer space.”

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But despite some healthy separation with regard to the “Barbie” financial outcome, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker said the connection to Jenkins and “Wonder Woman” was significant.

“Something that does feel meaningful to me in that scenario is that — you mentioned Patty Jenkins, and it’s something Margot [Robbie, ‘Barbie’ star and producer] and I have talked about — there’s no way we would’ve been able to make this movie if [Jenkins] hadn’t made ‘Wonder Woman’ and it was successful. That’s just true,” Gerwig added. “So one thing that I’ve been thinking about, and feeling the joy we felt reflected in audiences, is thinking, ‘Well, if it works, maybe it’s easier for the next person.’”

There is a mutual admiration between Gerwig and the “Wonder Woman” team. Actress Gal Gadot, who played the Amazonian warrior in numerous DC Films – including “The Flash” earlier this year – appeared at the Los Angeles premiere of “Barbie” to support the film. Gadot’s appearance left Gerwig “very touched.”

“It felt like a vote of confidence. And a good omen,” she said to Indiewire.

That Gadot attended the premiere is also a bit of an Easter egg for those who followed the “Barbie” press tour. Robbie previously told Vogue she and Gerwig sought Gadot for the film.

“Gal Gadot is Barbie energy. Because Gal Gadot is so impossibly beautiful, but you don’t hate her for being that beautiful, because she’s so genuinely sincere, and she’s so enthusiastically kind, that it’s almost dorky,” Robbie explained. “It’s like right before being a dork.”

When asked about “Barbie” at a Netflix fan event last month, Gadot said, “Margo, I love you! I’ll do anything with you, I’ll be [in] anything with you!” So, maybe “Barbie 2”?

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