Twin Cities theaters see big boost from "Barbenheimer" blitz
EDINA, Minn. – As writers and actors in Hollywood remain on the picket lines, movie-goers waited in ticket lines this weekend.
The release of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" have shattered expectations at the box office this opening weekend.
"I heard the movie was a lot about like womanhood and really strong femininity, so I'm super excited to see it," said one movie-goer at Mann Theatres in Edina Sunday.
RELATED: "Barbie" has biggest opening day of 2023, "Oppenheimer" not far behind
"Barbie" is the biggest movie so far this year at the box office, bringing in $155 million opening weekend. "Oppenheimer" trails behind at $80.5 million, but together they've made it the highest-grossing weekend since the beginning of the pandemic.
"We knew it would do well, we just didn't realize how big of an impact it would make," said Mann Theatres co-owner Michelle Mann.
Mann Theatres is a family-owned business founded in 1935, with eight locations in Minnesota.
"My father talks about when VCRs came out that everyone was like 'the movie theater industry is over.' So we've been facing a lot of negativity and challenges throughout time, nothing's going to stop us," Mann said. "And here's the biggest thing – people want to come to the movies."
Dubbed "Barbenheimer," some fans are choosing to see both movies back to back.
"Who has seen a double feature in one day in the last 10 years? It's unbelievable! And we're so excited about it," she said.
RELATED: How "Barbenheimer" became the summer's most online movie showdown
Mann hopes the movie blitz is a sign of even brighter times ahead at the big screen.
"This is really putting a cap on this summer. This is the cherry on top, these two films. And we're so excited about what the next month looks like," she said.
Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" also broke the record of biggest-ever debut for a woman director.