The market for a particular vintage Barbie doll went haywire after Michael Cera's cameo in the 'Barbie' movie
Auction prices for Mattel's discontinued Allan doll spiked after the release of the new "Barbie" movie.
Michael Cera plays the role of Allan in the new box-office hit, which raked in $155 million its opening weekend.
The film is expected to pull in $400 million-$425 million domestically by the time it exits theaters.
Prices at auction for Mattel's discontinued Allan doll shot up this week thanks to Michael Cera's cameo in the role of the vintage "Barbie" character in the new movie.
A preowned Allan doll sold for $410 on eBay on Tuesday, while the price for another Allan doll reached $605 on Friday in an ongoing auction.
That's a dramatic increase from Allan doll prices last Thursday before the release of the "Barbie" movie, which ranged from $35-$76, according to screenshots published by TMZ.
The surge in prices has been sparked by renewed interest in Mattel's iconic dolls after the debut of the new "Barbie" movie last Friday. The film exceeded box-office expectations, pulling in $155 million in the US on its opening weekend. The movie is expected to draw in $400 million-$425 million domestically by the time it leaves theaters, according to estimates from BoxofficePro.
The success of the film has so-far been a boon for Mattel stock, with shares up 9% over the last month and up 16% from the start of the year. Doll sales slipped in the first-half of the year though, with global gross billings of the Barbie brand falling to $459.6 million, a 23% decline from the first-half of 2022.
And while movies like "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" herald a return of the summer blockbuster season, analysts also say that the success of "Barbenheimer" may not be enough to fuel a rally in movie stocks, which have struggled in recent years and will be negatively impacted by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
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