The rumoured same-day release of both Oppenheimer and Barbie 2023 films sparked an interesting debate when it was announced months ago. It started out as a Barbie vs Oppenheimer rivalry, as fans argued over which film would be the bigger box-office success.
Upon the release of the movies on July 21, 2023, this rivalry was quickly squashed, and the Barbenheimer craze began. Starting as an internet phenomenon, the combination of both film titles began to trend on social media. This led to moviegoers opting to watch both movies on the same day and naming it “Barbenheimer Day”.
This begs the question: did the simultaneous release of these films help them both become box-office successes? We will explore that in this guide, as well as whether or not the Barbenheimer event is good for the future of cinema. Read on to find out.
Barbenheimer hype
It’s not unusual for studios to counter-programme films in different genres on the same weekend. However, the huge juxtaposition between Barbie and Oppenheimer was something people instantly noticed and latched on to upon the release date announcements.
The Oppenheimer movie, directed by Christopher Nolan, is based on true events as it tells the story of the man who oversaw the development of the atomic bomb. This, paired next to the childhood doll-inspired Barbie with its lightheartedness and bright colours, is definitely an interesting mix. Perhaps this sheer difference is why the combination worked so well and Barbenheimer became such a cultural craze.
Although they are vastly different in terms of genre and feel, they both had star-studded casts. Oppenheimer has elite actors such as Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek and more. The Barbie movie matched this casting, as it starred just as many famous names, such as Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, John Cena and more.
The high-level casts combined with the huge differences between the two films were a combination that gave both movies extra hype going into the opening weekend. It proved to be a success, as both movies had excellent opening weekends, gaining the biggest box office gates in post-pandemic cinema.
Opening weekend success of Barbenheimer
Box office success
Barbenheimer achieved record-breaking opening weekend success at the box office, as they raked in a combined $244.5m. This made it the fourth-highest-grossing weekend in US cinema history. As expected, Barbie was the bigger success of the two films, as the Greta Gerwig movie generated $162m in ticket sales. In the process, it overtook The Super Mario Bros Movie as the biggest opening of 2023.
The Oppenheimer film took in $82.5m, which beat all expectations. In fact, it is one of the strongest opening weekends ever for a biographical drama. There’s no doubt that the Barbenheimer train increased both of the films box office earnings, as hundreds of thousands of filmgoers went to see the films on the same day for an unlikely double feature.
Critic reviews
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer have good critic reviews. Barbie was given a score of 88% from 420 critic ratings on RottenTomatoes as of this writing. The general consensus describes the film as a visually dazzling comedy whose meta humour is smartly complemented by subversive storytelling.
Oppenheimer has a higher critic rating on RottenTomatoes, as it has a score of 93% based on 422 reviews as of this writing. This almost puts it in the top 10 best-rated films on the entire site.
Audience reviews
The audience score on RottenTomatoes has similar results as the critics, as Barbie has an audience score of 84% based on over 10,000 ratings. Oppenheimer has an audience score of 93% based on over 10,000 ratings.
Is this moment in cinema good for the film industry?
The post-pandemic period has not been great for the cinema industry. There have been more delays in movie production, and the shift from cinema to streaming has become more apparent. With a few exceptions, the public has been reluctant to go to the cinema post-pandemic, which has been a huge blow to box office numbers.
However, the day-long event of Barbenheimer could suggest that the pendulum is swinging back in favour of cinemas. The success of the two films has been a much-needed spark to reignite the fire and remind us all why the cinema is such a special place.
So, is the Barbie movie good?
Barbie has received great critic and audience reviews across the board, so it is safe to assume that it is a good watch. Although it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, if you love lighthearted romantic comedy films you should enjoy Barbie.
Read our article to find out when Barbie will be available to stream.
And is Oppenheimer good?
If you’re a fan of biographical movies, Oppenheimer is a must-watch. It is being described as another Christopher Nolan masterpiece, with phenomenal performances from Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh in the lead roles.
