If you were hoping to watch Barbie at home rather than trekking out to the theater, you’re in luck. During the Q2 earnings call this week (via Deadline), Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that Greta Gerwig’s smash hit will start streaming on Max this fall. He did not share a release date, but considering that the movie will eclipse $1 billion at the worldwide box office this weekend, the studio will likely hold off for as long as it can.
“We really believe in the motion picture window — let it play out … go into PVOD, take it through the windows that have worked forever [in the business],” Zaslav told investors. “When it goes on Max, it will have a good impact in the fall.”
The theatrical window has been flexible since the pandemic. Some studios put new releases on streaming services as quickly as possible after their theatrical runs, while others try to stretch the window as long as possible in order to maximize ticket sales. The two biggest movies of the year (so far) — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Super Mario Bros. Movie — waited three and four months, respectively, to make their streaming debuts.
If Barbie follows a similar trajectory, the earliest we should realistically expect to see it streaming on Max is around October 21, give or take a few days.
As Zaslav explained, the movie will reach PVOD (premium video-on-demand) first, which should come in late September or early October. Meanwhile, fans continue to flock to theaters as Barbie enters its third weekend. By Sunday, it could be the second billion-dollar movie of 2023. Whether or not it can catch Mario’s $1.35 billion remains to be seen.
Unsurprisingly, the success of Barbie has Mattel Films licking its chops for a cinematic universe. There are already 14 more movies based on Mattel toys and games in production, including Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, and UNO.
