From the moment the July 21st release date for both Barbie and Oppenheimer was announced, moviegoers have been vocal online about seeing the two movies back-to-back in a “Barbenheimer” double feature — and it turns out a lot of those fans are putting their money where their mouths are. According to AMC, more than 20,000 of its Stubs members have purchased tickets for both Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day, making the two films the unlikely box office showdown of the summer.
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“That more than 20,000 moviegoers have already made plans and purchased tickets to see Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day is a great sign that the growing online conversation around seeing both of these incredible films is turning into ticket sales,” Elizabeth Frank, executive vice president worldwide programming and chief content officer of AMC Theatres said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Tom Cruise is Going For a “Barbenheimer” Double Feature
Last month Tom Cruise, whose latest film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hits theaters on July 12th, took to social media to share his support for the “Barbenheimer” double feature.
“This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indy and one of the most iconic characters in history. I love a double feature, and it doesn’t get more explosive (or more pink_ than one with Oppenheimer and Barbie,” Cruise wrote on Twitter alongside photos of himself with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning director, Christopher McQuarrie and their tickets to the films.
Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy has also expressed support for the idea of a “Barbenheimer” double feature in recent comments to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.
“I can’t wait to see Barbie. I love Margot Robbie; I love Ryan Gosling … My advice would be for people to go see both [Barbie and Oppenheimer], on the same day,” he said.
Of course, not everyone is going for a double feature. There are those who also are looking more at the rivalry aspect of things, something that Oppenheimer star Matt Damon has previously said he just doesn’t understand.
“This is the first I’m hearing about it, actually. I haven’t paid any attention to that,” Damon said. “People are allowed to go see two movies in a weekend. Oppenheimer is one of them!” When asked what his family might choose, considering he has four daughters, Damon added, “I’ll have to ask them that. If that’s the case, they’ll see two movies that weekend!”
The Barbie and Oppenheimer Face Off is Shaping Up to Be Huge
Thus far, both Barbie and Oppenheimer are tracking for impressive opening weekends even with the two films being very different from one another. Barbie is forecasted to bring in $70-$80 million in its opening weekend while Oppenheimer is tracking for about $40 million.
In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hits theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist, and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Oscar winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.
Oppenheimer also stars Oscar winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar-nominated actor, writer, and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh.
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer open in theaters on July 21st.
