Summary
Director Scott Derrickson praises Greta Gerwig's Barbie film as "extraordinary" and believes it should win Best Picture at the Oscars.
Barbie's remarkable performance at the box office poses a challenge to the prevailing trend of smaller independent films clinching the Best Picture award, positioning it as a formidable contender. Leveraging Gerwig's past triumphs and the endorsement from influential filmmakers like Derrickson further bolsters Barbie's odds of securing a nomination and, potentially, emerging victorious.
Doctor Strange and The Black Phone director, Scott Derrickson, has joined the many vocal supporters of Greta Gerwig's Barbie. This movie, based on the popular line of fashion dolls by Mattel, exceeded expectations at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing live-action comedy of all time. Warner Bros. is now aiming to secure nominations in various key categories for next year's Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, and potential acting nominations for its stars, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
During an interview on The Playlist's The Discourse podcast, Derrickson shared his favorite films of the year and named Gerwig's Barbie and the Argentinian possession horror film, When Evil Lurks, as his top two choices. He described Gerwig's movie as "extraordinary on every level" and expressed his belief that it deserves to win Best Picture in 2024. Read his comments below.
By the way, the movies based on existing intellectual property can be absolutely outstanding. In my opinion, 'Barbie' tops the list as the best film I've seen this year—although, perhaps that's not entirely accurate; I did watch this horror flick, 'When Evil Lurks,' at Fantastic Fest, which also claimed a spot among my favorite films of the year. These two films couldn't be more different from each other.
'Barbie' serves as a perfect illustration of how even populist intellectual property can be handled with remarkable brilliance. It truly is an exceptional movie in every aspect. Personally, I believe it deserves to win Best Picture; the writing showcases a cleverness, intelligence, and subversiveness that is unparalleled, while the acting is simply astounding. Additionally, its visual artistry and unique style contribute to an incredibly entertaining and awe-inspiring cinematic experience. It is, without a doubt, an extraordinary film.
Why A Barbie Best Picture Win Could Mark A Change In Recent Oscars History
Barbie's exceptional box office performance and immense popularity have positioned it as a strong contender for the Best Picture nomination at the 2024 Academy Awards. However, it is worth noting that this category historically tends to favor smaller, independent films rather than big-budget blockbusters. While this year's nominations appear to deviate from that pattern by recognizing commercial successes like Avatar: The Way Of Water and Top Gun: Maverick, the ultimate victor turned out to be the comparatively humble film, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
It has been over 20 years since a Best Picture winner has earned a worldwide gross comparable to Barbie's impressive $1.43 billion. The last film to reach such heights was "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in 2003, which made over $1.14 billion. While box office success does not always indicate a film's quality, reviews of Barbie have applauded Gerwig's skillful writing, high production values, and outstanding performances.
Furthermore, Gerwig is no stranger to having her films in contention for Best Picture and she still embodies the independent filmmaking sensibilities that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences highly values. However, it is uncertain whether Barbie will even be nominated, let alone win. Nevertheless, Gerwig's chances are steadily growing with the support of filmmakers like Derrickson joining her side.
Source: The Playlist
