Margot Robbie's post-Barbie rom-com stalls at box office

Margot Robbie's latest film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, opened weakly at the domestic box office. The romance drama, co-starring Colin Farrell, generated about $3.5 million in the United States during its opening weekend and roughly $12 million worldwide, far below its reported $50 million production budget. The film ranked sixth at the US box office, trailing rivals including Demon Slayer and a title referred to in some outlets as 'Him.' It holds a 37 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics describing the storytelling as thin or uneven, though several praised the performances of Robbie and Farrell and their on-screen chemistry.

The release marks Robbie's first feature since Barbie's blockbuster run in 2023 and her first post-Barbie project after the birth of her first child about a year ago. The film's budget was reportedly around $50 million. Robbie and Farrell promoted the romance drama with a global press tour and red-carpet appearances that drew attention to the pair, even as box office results disappointed.

Directed by Kogonada, the drama follows Sarah and David, a couple who meet at a wedding and are swept into an otherworldly journey to relive pivotal moments from their past. The premise aimed to blend romance with fantasy, a combination industry observers say can be challenging to sustain on screen.

Early reviews highlighted the mismatch between romantic fantasy and the film's tonal ambitions. Indiewire's Ryan Lattanzio described it as miscalculated as a romance and a fantasy, while The Wrap's William Bibbiani argued that even strong performances couldn't save a script that lacked meaning. Other critics noted Robbie and Farrell's undeniable chemistry but said it could not overcome what several outlets called an underwritten script.

Despite the mixed reception, Robbie's star power remains a potent talking point, with many outlets noting her fashion moments on the red carpet drew as much attention as the film itself. The box-office results mark a setback for the actress's post-Barbie trajectory, though some industry insiders caution against drawing broader conclusions from a single opening frame.

The film's numbers stand in sharp contrast to Robbie's 2023 Barbie, which grossed about $1.447 billion worldwide and established her as one of the era's defining movie stars. The industry will be watching closely as Robbie moves forward with high-profile projects, including a high-profile adaptation of Wuthering Heights directed by Emerald Fennell, with Jacob Elordi co-starring. Dallas test screenings reportedly described the project as aggressively provocative and tonally abrasive, with hypersexualized imagery intended to shock audiences. The first trailer released earlier this month sparked controversy for its take on the 19th-century classic. The project is slated for release in February 2026, and all eyes will be on Robbie to see if she can rebound from this cinematic stumble.