evidence: Greta Gerwig told The New York Times that watching her "Barbie" movie become a historic comedy blockbuster has been "so amazing." The film debuted to a whopping $162 million, breaking the opening weekend record for a female director. It then scored $26 million on its first Monday after release, setting a new Warner Bros. in-house record for the studio’s top Monday grosser. [...] With broken records and critical acclaim, conversations around "Barbie" are already turning towards a potential sequel. The New York Times asked Gerwig if "Barbie" is "the start of a franchise" or "a complete story with a definitive ending." The director and co-writer gave no definitive answer but said she’s not thinking about a follow-up at this time. [...] Gerwig also weighed in on the conservative backlash that has erupted over the movie. Prominent conservative figures like podcaster Matt Walsh have condemned "Barbie" as "the most aggressively anti-man, feminist propaganda fest ever put to film." Ben Shapiro posted a viral video on social media in which he set Barbie dolls on fire with a barbecue lighter while railing against the movie.