NEW YORK, USA (AP) – In the massive movie weekend of Barbie and Oppenheimer, there were many winners. Greta Gerwig, who made history for female directors. Christopher Nolan, who set a non-Batman career high. Cinemas were more crowded than anytime post-pandemic.

But one of the most important triumphs in the moviegoing monsoon of Barbenheimer was originality. Here are two movies that are neither sequels nor reboots pushing the box office to highs not seen in years.

Barbie and Oppenheimer became a meme because of their worlds-apart differences but they’re each indelibly the work of those film-makers.

“The numbers don’t lie,” says Richard Gelfond, IMAX chief executive.

And the numbers are eyepopping. The total box office in US and Canadian cinemas on the weekend was more than US$300 million, the fourth-highest ever. Warner Bros’ Barbie grossed US$162 million domestically, the best opening of the year. Universal’s Oppenheimer took in US$82.4 million. Those results, riding critical acclaim and months of a viral double-feature drum beat, nearly doubled expectations and astonished Hollywood.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, coming 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, has failed to ignite in cinemas.

The 10th Fast and the Furious movie was a dud domestically, though international sales have been robust. In three days, Barbie already surpassed its total North American haul of US$145.9 million.