Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro’s prediction that the Barbie movie would flop is going viral after Barbie became Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing global release.
Barbie hit $1.342 billion gross on Monday, which pushed it past Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 for the top spot in Warner Bros.’ roster.
Ahead of the Barbie movie’s release, Shapiro predicted that the movie would barely make it out of theaters alive.
“Week one this thing is going to clean up at the domestic box office. My prediction, it’s just going to absolutely fall off a cliff after that,” Shapiro said in a video reposted by @ChudsOfTikTok. “The repeat business on this movie is going to be non-existent.”
Barbie was number two over the weekend, more than a month after its release, pointed out @VivendasdaBarra.
When Barbie first came out, Shapiro posted that it was “one of the most woke movies I have ever seen. My full review of this flaming garbage heap of a film will be out on my YouTube channel tomorrow at 10am ET.”
That review, which stretched for 43 minutes on YouTube, featured Shapiro burning a set of promotional Barbie dolls, reported the Pink News.
Shapiro also criticized the inclusion of a transgender character in the movie and mocked the idea of the patriarchy being something keeping women down, reported the Independent.
“I mean, Greta Gerwig is a lady. She’s making a good living off of this,” Shapiro says in the review. “Margot Robbie is playing the lead. In fact, the entire cast aside from basically Ryan Gosling is women, so it seems like women are doing okay.”
“I love how wrong he can be and then comeback next time having learned absolutely nothing,” said @punxzadonny on Twitter. “Pure talent.”
“We need to pride him on his dedication and consistency lol” replied @uraveragecorpse.
“@benshapiro Barbie owns you,” @EastNastygbc said on Twitter, posting a meme about how Babrie was living rent-free in his head.
“Love how the far right are pitting themselves against everything fun and popular. I wonder who will win?” posted u/SabresMakeMeDrink on Reddit when the review came out. “Anyway every negative review Ben Shapiro gives is the best thing that can happen to a film. It’s a total endorsement if anything”
