Margot Robbie's post-Barbie film flops at box office as critics panning A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

Margot Robbie's first project since Barbie has fallen short of expectations at the domestic box office. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, a romance drama co-starring Colin Farrell, opened to about $3.5 million in the United States and roughly $8 million worldwide, according to industry tracking. The Sony Pictures release finished sixth in the domestic market, well behind the top titles, underscoring a sharp downturn from Robbie's blockbuster year in 2023.

Critical reception was mixed at best. The film holds roughly a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviews faulting the storytelling as shallow. Some critics praised Robbie and Farrell's chemistry, but said the performances couldn't compensate for a narrative they described as thin or underdeveloped. Independent outlets were more critical, with reviews accusing the movie of failing to deliver on its premise as a romantic fantasy.

The film, directed by Kogonada, also features Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It marks Robbie's first major release since Barbie, and industry insiders note that the press push for the romance drama was intense, with Robbie and Farrell crisscrossing the globe in the lead-up to the release. Production in California last year had fueled early industry optimism, with Deadline describing the script as among the market's hottest during development. The project is listed for a February 2026 release window, giving Robbie another high-profile project to pivot toward after the perceived misfire.

Robbie's next major undertaking is a bold adaptation of Wuthering Heights directed by Emerald Fennell, with Jacob Elordi co-starring. The first trailer released earlier this month drew controversy for a sexualized and provocative take on the 19th‑century classic. Test screenings in Dallas reportedly described the film as aggressively provocative and tonally abrasive, with imagery designed to shock audiences. Nonetheless, insiders say the on-screen chemistry between Robbie and Elordi remains strong, even as producers push a more mature, and arguably polarizing, take on the beloved tale. The project is slated for a February 2026 release as well, but the spotlight on Robbie will be intense as she seeks to rebound from the current setback.

Robbie's team maintains that the box office results do not define the trajectory of her career, noting Barbie's worldwide success and her growing producer role with Lucky Chap. Still, the results place added weight on her choices in the near term, including the Wuthering Heights adaptation and a continuing slate of high-profile projects. The industry will watch closely to see whether Robbie can recapture the domestic momentum that helped propel Barbie to a record-shattering year and whether her pairing with Farrell or Elordi can sustain momentum in future releases.