Barbie vs Oppenheimer: Box office to online marketplaces, Barbenheimer phenomenon rules

Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ are finally hitting theaters on Friday, marking the end of a year-long online frenzy that playfully compared the two films. Despite their stark differences, with one being a charmingly subversive comedy starring Margot Robbie as the beloved doll and the other a thought-provoking, three-hour drama centered around the creation of the atomic bomb featuring Cillian Murphy in lead role, these star-studded projects have unexpectedly formed a unique double feature – ‘Barbenheimer’.

AMC has revealed that 40,000 of its movie club members have already secured tickets to experience both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day.

The inception of the “Barbenheimer” meme occurred early last year when Warner Bros. announced that “Barbie” would coincide with Universal Pictures’ release of “Oppenheimer.” Twitter users swiftly seized on the contrasting themes of the two movies, generating humorous quips about their lighthearted versus dark nature and engaging in a tongue-in-cheek battle for America’s essence.

Remarkably, this internet inside joke has transcended the virtual realm and become a real-life sensation in recent weeks. Online marketplaces like Etsy and Redbubble have been inundated with hundreds of handmade ‘Barbenheimer’ T-shirts. Social media platforms witness a constant stream of fan-made posters, receiving hundreds of thousands of “likes” for their captivating mashups. Opening-day screenings for both films have already sold out at major theater chains like AMC and Alamo Drafthouse, while independent cinemas across the country are embracing the trend by offering movie-inspired menus and hosting “Barbenheimer” costume parties.

Oppenheimer vs Barbie

According to industry analysts who employ sophisticated methodologies to project box office performance based on audience interest, Greta Gerwig’s visually appealing “Barbie” has the potential to generate around $100 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada by the end of the weekend. The production budget for the film, excluding marketing expenses, is estimated to be $145 million. On the other hand, Christopher Nolan’s weighty and thought-provoking “Oppenheimer,” which cost a minimum of $100 million before accounting for marketing costs, is anticipated to achieve approximately $50 million in domestic ticket sales during the same timeframe.Warner Bros., while attempting to manage expectations, stated that pre-sales for ‘Barbie’ amounted to approximately $30 million and expressed a more conservative estimate of $75 million in ticket sales for the opening weekend. The PG-13 comedy has secured screenings across approximately 4,200 screens in North America.Universal Pictures, the studio behind ‘Oppenheimer’, an R-rated historical drama exploring the creation of the atomic bomb, chose not to provide a comment. The film by Nolan is scheduled to be showcased on approximately 3,600 domestic screens.

FAQs

Q1. When are ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ releasing?
A1. ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ are releasing on Friday.

Q2. Where can I watch ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’?
A2. ‘Barbie’ has secured screenings across approximately 4,200 screens in North America. ‘Oppenheimer’ is scheduled to be showcased on approximately 3,600 domestic screens. The screen counts are for North America only.