Barbenheimer

The Fine Arts Theatre in Asheville, North Carolina, United States, displaying showtimes for both films
Barbie creator Ruth Handler with Barbie dolls
Vintage photograph of Robert Oppenheimer
Barbie creator Ruth Handler and J. Robert Oppenheimer

Barbenheimer (/ˈbɑːrbənhaɪmər/ BAR-bən-hy-mər)[a] was a cultural phenomenon which preceded and surrounded the simultaneous theatrical release of two films, Warner Bros. Pictures's Barbie and Universal Pictures's Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023. The stark contrast between Barbie—a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie—and Oppenheimer—an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, a scientific director in the Manhattan Project—prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes, merchandise and memorabilia. Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites",[6] and Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year".[7]

The simultaneous release was an instance of counterprogramming. As the release date approached, instead of generating a rivalry, discussion centered on the appositeness of watching the films as a double feature, as well as in what order to watch them. Cast members of both responded by encouraging audiences to watch the films on the same day. Celebrity participants included actor Tom Cruise, who purchased tickets to watch both while his latest film, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, was still playing in theaters. While the phenomenon began as a joke about the two films' seemingly endless differences, some media commentators have pointed out similarities; both films have been analyzed as exploring existentialism and the theoretical notion of the Anthropocene, each has an Academy Award-nominated director and screenwriter[b] and a large ensemble cast, and both were produced by a husband-and-wife production company.[c]

Both Barbie and Oppenheimer received critical acclaim[d] and exceeded box-office expectations.[20] Their joint opening weekend was the fourth-largest at the American box office, and both rank among the highest-grossing films of 2023. The phenomenon also extended to the year's awards season, in which both films emerged as leading contenders. The films earned a combined 21 nominations at the 96th Academy Awards. Both films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, which Oppenheimer won.[21][22]

  1. ^ Romano, Aja (July 10, 2023). "Barbieheimer: It's black. It's pink. It's more meaningful than you think". Vox. Archived from the original on July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  2. ^ "Everything to know about Barbieheimer, the summer's hottest trend". EW.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Beckerman, Jim. "Why are moviegoers so excited to see 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' together?". North Jersey Media Group. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  4. ^ "Don't Blame Barbie and Ken for Killing the Movies – And Don't Blame IP". July 25, 2023. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Clark, Nicole (June 28, 2023). "The people refuse to decide between Barbie and Oppenheimer". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 17, 2023). "'Barbenheimer' Fever: Meet the Film Lovers Turning 'Barbie'-'Oppenheimer' Double Features Into the Movie Event of the Year". Variety. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  8. ^ "'Barbenheimer' box office shows audiences want more movies without a Jedi or superhero | Fortune". July 25, 2023. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  9. ^ "'Barbenheimer' Set for Biggest Second Weekend Presales of All Time". Collider. July 28, 2023. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  10. ^ "'Barbenheimer' nets combined $235 million during opening weekend". July 25, 2023. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  11. ^ Stern, Marlow (August 9, 2023). "Bill Maher's 'Barbie' Movie Review Is a Total Embarrassment". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. The movie was released to near-universal critical acclaim and has grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making Gerwig the first solo female director with a billion-dollar movie.
  12. ^ Smart, Jack. "Marc Maron Slams the 'Certain Men' Who 'Took Offense' to 'Barbie' Movie: 'So Embarrassing for Them'". People. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. "Certain men" notwithstanding, Barbie has received critical acclaim and commercial success.
  13. ^ "Barbie vs Oppenheimer at Box Office: Who won at the preview and what else now?". The Economic Times. July 22, 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. Lastly, the much-anticipated box office battle between Warner Bros' Barbie and Universal's Oppenheimer has generated an impressive buzz, with both films receiving critical acclaim and strong presales.
  14. ^ Oppenheimer, Jerry (July 15, 2023). "Barbie battle: Two women claim to inspire Margot Robbie". New York Post. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. "Barbie" is driving its way to box-office gold, with a combination of hype, critical acclaim and pre-bookings already selling out.
  15. ^ "Marc Maron Trounces Right-Wing 'Barbie' Haters As 'Insecure Babies'". HuffPost. August 3, 2023. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. "Barbie" hit theaters last month to critical acclaim and broke the box office record its first weekend for a film directed by a woman.
  16. ^ "All the reasons why Barbie has been a record-breaking box office success". Digital Spy. July 31, 2023. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. The obvious place to start with why Barbie has proven such a draw at the box office is that it's genuinely a great movie. It currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and achieved an A CinemaScore rating, giving it both critical acclaim and popular appeal, the latter almost definitely leading to repeat viewings.
  17. ^ Davis, Clayton (July 25, 2023). "'Barbie' Oscar Dilemma: Warner Bros. Weighs Original or Adapted Screenplay Consideration". Variety. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. "Barbie" is a box office smash, along with its acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
  18. ^ Qureshi, Bilal (August 11, 2023). "Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and 'Barbie' made for one epic summer trifecta". NPR. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. The hype surrounding Barbie, Beyoncé's Renaissance, and Taylor's Eras tour is commensurate with the sheer amount of resources, time and attention so many Americans of all races, genders and ages are devoting to being part of this moment. Critical acclaim has followed each of these works, layers of meaning are being made.
  19. ^ Maher, Dani (August 4, 2023). "'Lawyer Barbie' Sharon Rooney never wants to let Barbieland go". Harper's Bazaar Australia. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023. But perhaps Barbie's greatest impact — and legacy, in time — is not its box office success, critical acclaim, or social media domination.
  20. ^ Mastrangelo, Dominick (July 25, 2023). "'Barbenheimer' nets combined $235 million during opening weekend". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "2024 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  22. ^ Arkin, Daniel (March 11, 2024). "'Oppenheimer' dominates Oscars, collecting trio of major awards among its 7 wins". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.


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