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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
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{{Multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=300
{{Multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=300
| image1 = Vintage Malibu Barbie 2.jpg
| image1 = Oppenheimer (cropped).jpg
| alt1 =
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| image2 = Oppenheimer (cropped).jpg
| image2 = Vintage Malibu Barbie 2.jpg
| alt2 = Portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer, first director of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
| alt2 = Portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer, first director of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
| footer = The subjects of the films, <!----Please do not change the visible name to just 'Barbie', this is the full encyclopedic name of the subject pictured---->[[Barbie|Barbara Millicent Roberts]] and [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]]
| footer = [[Julius Robert Oppenheimer]] and [[Barbie|<!--Please do not change the visible name to just 'Barbie', this is the full encyclopedic name of the subject pictured-->Barbara Millicent Roberts]], known to friends as Oppie and Barbie
}}
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'''Barbenheimer'''{{efn|Also known as '''Oppenbarbie''', '''Barbieheimer''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Aja |date=2023-07-10 |title=Barbieheimer: It's black. It's pink. It's more meaningful than you think. |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/23789864/barbenheimer-barbieheimer-barbie-oppenheimer-release-memes-double-feature |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |title=Why are moviegoers so excited to see 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' together? |url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/movies/2023/07/10/barbie-oppenheimer-release-on-the-same-day/70395685007/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=[[North Jersey Media Group]] |language=en-US}}</ref> or '''Boppenheimer'''.<ref name=":0" />}} is an [[Internet phenomenon]] that began circulating ahead of the same day [[theatrical release]] of two films diametrically opposed in genre, ''[[Barbie (film)|Barbie]]'' and ''[[Oppenheimer (film)|Oppenheimer]]'', on July 21, 2023.<ref name="DDInfo">{{Cite web |last=Jaworski |first=Michelle |date=2023-06-29 |title=Barbenheimer is the cinematic meme of the summer |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/barbenheimer-memes/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref> The word is a [[portmanteau]] of the films' titles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Elizabeth |date=2023-06-30 |title=Barbenheimer: the internet reacts to the release of both films |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/barbenheimer-boppenheimer-meme-barbie-margot-robbie-oppenheimer-b1091120.html |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}</ref> The contrast between ''Barbie'', a [[fantasy film|fantasy]] [[comedy film|comedy]] film directed by [[Greta Gerwig]] based on the fashion doll [[Barbie]], and ''Oppenheimer'', a [[biographical film|biographical]] [[thriller film|thriller]] directed by [[Christopher Nolan]] about theoretical physicist [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]], who helped develop the first [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear weapons]] on the [[Manhattan Project]], provoked a comedic response from Internet users;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/internet-embraces-barbenheimer-memes-mashups-more |title=The Internet Embraces 'Barbenheimer' With Memes, Mashups, and More |date=June 30, 2023 |last=Ankers-Range |first=Adele |work=[[IGN]] |access-date=July 2, 2023}}</ref> ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' described the two films as "extreme opposites".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Nicole |date=2023-06-28 |title=The people refuse to decide between Barbie and Oppenheimer |url=https://www.polygon.com/23775980/barbie-oppenheimer-release-date-showdown-memes |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>
'''Barbenheimer'''{{efn|Also known as '''Oppenbarbie''', '''Barbieheimer''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Aja |date=2023-07-10 |title=Barbieheimer: It's black. It's pink. It's more meaningful than you think. |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/23789864/barbenheimer-barbieheimer-barbie-oppenheimer-release-memes-double-feature |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |title=Why are moviegoers so excited to see 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' together? |url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/movies/2023/07/10/barbie-oppenheimer-release-on-the-same-day/70395685007/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=[[North Jersey Media Group]] |language=en-US}}</ref> or '''Boppenheimer'''.<ref name=":0" />}} is an [[Internet phenomenon]] that began circulating ahead of the same day [[theatrical release]] of two films diametrically opposed in genre, ''[[Barbie (film)|Barbie]]'' and ''[[Oppenheimer (film)|Oppenheimer]]'', on July 21, 2023.<ref name="DDInfo">{{Cite web |last=Jaworski |first=Michelle |date=2023-06-29 |title=Barbenheimer is the cinematic meme of the summer |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/barbenheimer-memes/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref> The word is a [[portmanteau]] of the films' titles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Elizabeth |date=2023-06-30 |title=Barbenheimer: the internet reacts to the release of both films |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/barbenheimer-boppenheimer-meme-barbie-margot-robbie-oppenheimer-b1091120.html |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}</ref> The contrast between ''Barbie'', a [[fantasy film|fantasy]] [[comedy film|comedy]] film directed by [[Greta Gerwig]] based on the fashion doll [[Barbie]], and ''Oppenheimer'', a [[biographical film|biographical]] [[thriller film|thriller]] directed by [[Christopher Nolan]] about theoretical physicist [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]], who helped develop the first [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear weapons]] on the [[Manhattan Project]], provoked a comedic response from Internet users;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/internet-embraces-barbenheimer-memes-mashups-more |title=The Internet Embraces 'Barbenheimer' With Memes, Mashups, and More |date=June 30, 2023 |last=Ankers-Range |first=Adele |work=[[IGN]] |access-date=July 2, 2023}}</ref> ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' described the two films as "extreme opposites".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Nicole |date=2023-06-28 |title=The people refuse to decide between Barbie and Oppenheimer |url=https://www.polygon.com/23775980/barbie-oppenheimer-release-date-showdown-memes |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>

Revision as of 17:50, 14 July 2023

Portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer, first director of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer and Barbara Millicent Roberts, known to friends as Oppie and Barbie

Barbenheimer[a] is an Internet phenomenon that began circulating ahead of the same day theatrical release of two films diametrically opposed in genre, Barbie and Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023.[4] The word is a portmanteau of the films' titles.[5] The contrast between Barbie, a fantasy comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig based on the fashion doll Barbie, and Oppenheimer, a biographical thriller directed by Christopher Nolan about theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who helped develop the first nuclear weapons on the Manhattan Project, provoked a comedic response from Internet users;[6] Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites".[7]

Originating as a rivalry between the two films, the Barbenheimer phenomenon is an instance of counterprogramming. Simultaneously, Oppenheimer and Barbie have faced friendly opposition from actor Tom Cruise, who bought tickets to the "double feature" and whose film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), which was still running in theaters by the time of Oppenheimer and Barbie's release, faces limited IMAX screenings. Other suggestions to watch the films as a double feature emerged as their release date approached. Actors in both films responded to the rivalry by sincerely encouraging audiences to watch both films on the same day; Matt Damon, co-star of Oppenheimer, commented that audiences are "allowed to go see two movies in a weekend."

Barbie vs. Oppenheimer

In the United States, Canada, and many other countries, Barbie and Oppenheimer will be released on the same date, July 21, 2023. The Barbenheimer phenomenon is an instance of counterprogramming, a marketing strategy where tonally different films are released on the same day to appeal to an underrepresented group. Universal successfully deployed counterprogramming as early as 2002, when it opened dramedy About A Boy opposite the sci-fi sequel Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones of the space opera franchise Star Wars.[8] The former enjoyed the strongest opening for a British movie that year, finishing with over $130 million.[9] Men's magazine GQ observed the phenomenon occurring in the holiday season, such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, and compared summer to an "all-or-nothing bloodsport". In 2022, counterprogramming occurred with the summer films Top Gun: Maverick and The Bob's Burgers Movie, in which the latter is a smaller film than the former, allowing for such a dynamic.[10] The film's release date drew parallels to the same release date of the superhero film The Dark Knight—directed by Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan—and the jukebox musical Mamma Mia! in 2008.[11] Actor Tom Cruise—who stars in and produced Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)—has fervently promoted his film over Oppenheimer and Barbie to erode the former's three week IMAX exclusivity window while using the latter to show Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning on non-IMAX screens.[12]

Internet users noted the juxtaposition of the films and posted memes on Twitter. Shirt designers on Etsy took to creating merchandise based on the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Early versions of these shirts took to directly using the wordmarks of the two films and placing them side-by-side while later versions designed a Barbie-inspired wordmark of the phrases.[3] Several tweets referenced the Sherbet Homes, two houses in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles marked by one's black demeanor and the other by its pink appearance.[13]

Double feature viewing

Many Hollywood personalities and internet users have viewed the films as a double feature.[14] Writing for Den of Geek, Chris Farnell detailed the merits of both viewing orders. Farnell argued that watching Barbie then Oppenheimer "will leave you upset, confused, and more aware than ever that your existence could be snatched away at any moment by forces totally outside of your control." He concluded that moviegoers should watch Wes Anderson's Asteroid City (2023), Oppenheimer, and Barbie, in that order, asserting that audiences will have a better understanding of Asteroid City's closing message after watching Oppenheimer and Barbie.[15]

Box office

While Barbie is projected to gross $80–100 million, Oppenheimer is projected to gross $50 million in its opening weekend.[16][17] Two weeks prior to their release, AMC Theatres announced that over 20,000 AMC Stubs members had already pre-booked tickets to both films on the same day, seeing a 33% increase of people buying double feature tickets from July 7 to July 10.[18][19]

Reactions

Film industry

Tom Cruise referenced the phenomenon in a tweet in which he held up tickets to Barbie and Oppenheimer with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One director Christopher McQuarrie and referred to the two films as a double feature; Cruise has financially supported the theatrical box office industry following the success of Top Gun: Maverick and director Steven Spielberg's proclamation that Cruise "saved Hollywood's ass".[20] Gerwig and Barbie star Margot Robbie also joined Cruise's film marathon, and held up tickets to Oppenheimer.[21] Cruise plans to watch Oppenheimer then Barbie.[22] At the premiere of Air, actor and Oppenheimer star Matt Damon told Vanity Fair that audiences are "allowed to go see two movies in a weekend".[23] At the premiere of Barbie, Gerwig, along with Issa Rae, further supported the double feature concept, with Rae stating "I love that there's solidarity though where people tried to pit us against one another but now it's turned into like a double-feature situation".[24] In an interview with La Vanguardia, Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy endorsed the phenomenon, saying "My advice would be for people to go see both, on the same day. If they are good films, then that's cinema's gain."[25]

Analysis and commentary

Comparing Barbie and Oppenheimer, The A.V. Club quipped, "One of these films has a main character grappling with the concept of death. The other is Oppenheimer."[26] Insider speculated that Warner Bros.' decision to release its long-in-development Barbie movie opposite Nolan's preferred release weekend of mid-July may have been revenge against Nolan for leaving Warner Bros; beginning with The Dark Knight and with the exception of Interstellar, Nolan's films have been released in mid-July. Nolan was reportedly upset to learn the two films would be opening the same weekend.[27] Ryan Gilbey of The Guardian contrasted Barbenheimer to the Blur vs. Oasis Britpop wars of the 1990s.[28]

Note

  1. ^ Also known as Oppenbarbie, Barbieheimer,[1][2] or Boppenheimer.[3]

References

  1. ^ Romano, Aja (July 10, 2023). "Barbieheimer: It's black. It's pink. It's more meaningful than you think". Vox. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Beckerman, Jim. "Why are moviegoers so excited to see 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' together?". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Moses, Claire (June 28, 2023). "Mark Your Calendars: 'Barbenheimer' Is Coming". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Jaworski, Michelle (June 29, 2023). "Barbenheimer is the cinematic meme of the summer". The Daily Dot. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Gregory, Elizabeth (June 30, 2023). "Barbenheimer: the internet reacts to the release of both films". Evening Standard. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Ankers-Range, Adele (June 30, 2023). "The Internet Embraces 'Barbenheimer' With Memes, Mashups, and More". IGN. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Clark, Nicole (June 28, 2023). "The people refuse to decide between Barbie and Oppenheimer". Polygon. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  8. ^ Fonseca, Nicholas. "Duel Action: 'Attack of the Clones' vs. 'About A Boy' and other box-office match ups..." Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "About a Boy storms to top". BBC. April 30, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  10. ^ Phipps, Keith (June 5, 2023). "When Summer Blockbusters Collide: A Short History". GQ. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Nguyen, Janet (April 13, 2023). ""Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are opening on the same date. Why that's not a bad thing". Marketplace. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Belloni, Matthew (June 1, 2023). "The Tom Cruise vs 'Oppenheimer' Movie Theater Smackdown". Puck. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  13. ^ Frank, Jason (July 2, 2023). "Barbenheimer Memes Are Blowing Up". Vulture. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Edwards, Molly (June 30, 2023). "The internet is exploding with Barbenheimer memes". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Farnell, Chris (July 13, 2023). "Barbie vs. Oppenheimer: A Definitive Answer for Which Movie You Need to See First". Den of Geek. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  16. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 29, 2023). "'Barbie' Glamming Up For $80M-$100M Opening With Presales Bigger Than 'Little Mermaid'; 'Oppenheimer' Has Shot At $50M – Box Office Outlook". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  17. ^ Johnston, Chris (July 1, 2023). "'Barbie' is set to win the 'Barbenheimer' box office battle with 'Oppenheimer' on their opening weekend". Business Insider. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  18. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 10, 2023). "AMC Theatres Says More Than 20,000 Moviegoers Have Already Booked 'Barbie'-'Oppenheimer' Double Features". Variety. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  19. ^ Kuo, Christopher (July 12, 2023). "'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Fans Are Ready for Their Double Feature". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  20. ^ Walsh, Savannah (June 28, 2023). "Tom Cruise Endorses Your Barbie and Oppenheimer Double Feature". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  21. ^ Garbutt, Emily (June 30, 2023). "Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie have accepted Tom Cruise's movie marathon mission". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  22. ^ Espada, Mariah (July 12, 2023). "Why 'Barbenheimer' Mania Is Unstoppable". Time. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Chi, Paul (May 22, 2023). "Matt Damon Takes a Stand on Oppenheimer vs. Barbie". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  24. ^ Chuba, Kirsten (July 9, 2023). "Greta Gerwig on 'Barbie' vs. 'Oppenheimer' Battle and Margot Robbie's Already-Iconic Foot: "I Did Always Think of the Arched Foot as a Bat Signal"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Watson, Fay (July 10, 2023). "Cillian Murphy gives Barbenheimer double bill his seal of approval". gamesradar. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  26. ^ White, Cindy (April 27, 2023). "When Barbie meets Oppenheimer, it's a battle of iconic vs. atomic". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  27. ^ Guerrasio, Jason. "Christopher Nolan isn't happy 'Barbie' will premiere the same weekend as his film, 'Oppenheimer,' sources say". Insider Inc. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  28. ^ Gilbey, Ryan (June 29, 2023). "Blonde v bombshell: get set for the Barbie-Oppenheimer smackdown". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2023.

Further reading

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