DETROIT — The movie event of the year is two movies, actually: One about the world of one of our most cherished childhood dolls and the other about the development of the atomic bomb.
This weekend, movie fans will head to theaters nationwide to watch Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s gritty “Oppenheimer.”
What makes the release of these diametrically opposed films unique is the stark difference in essence and storytelling that has managed to capture a huge swirl of buzz for both films — both on their own and together. Ever since their respective trailers were released, moviegoers have been in a frenzy over the two films, creating memes about the premiere day dichotomy, selling Frankenstein shirts of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" merch, and making TikTok predictions about the two films' plots.
Now the question isn't really about which of the two films viewers will choose on opening day. It's more about which movie will they see first.
“I keep hearing 'Oppenheimer' is Nolan’s most disturbing and ambitious project, so I think I’m going to need to sit with it for a few days,” said Ishan Biswas, 21, from Farmington Hills. “I really want to have the full experience, so I plan to watch it the night of the premiere.”
Jameel Baksh, 20, from Dearborn, is most anticipating the release of "Barbie." “I'm definitely excited to see the costumes and set, because it seems so accurate to the toy design,” he said. "Based on the previews, it looks like a feast for the eyes."
As premiere day fast approaches and fans choose sides, the "Barbenheimer" battle is upon us.
The 'Barbenheimer' battle
In one corner we have director Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," a comedy set in a pink-colored Barbieland utopia starring our blonde hero, Barbie (Margot Robbie), and her doe-eyed Ken (Ryan Gosling), on a chromatic adventure to find true happiness in the human world.
In the other corner we have Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," a dark thriller with the opposite color scheme, showcasing cold black tones, telling the true story behind J. Robert Oppenheimer's (Cillian Murphy) single greatest achievement, the creation of the atomic bomb.
Talk about a contrast.
"It is pretty evident that these are two diametrically opposite films," said Anthony LaVerde, CEO and president of Emagine Entertainment. "But they are high-quality, well-made films that resonate with a lot of people."
Since the announcement of "Lady Bird" and "Little Women" director Gerwig as "Barbie’s" steward in 2021, fans have dished their excitement for the film on social media platforms, which hasn't lost momentum through the two-year buildup to premiere day. Most speculate that part of this buzz has to do with the movie’s marketing, which locally included last week's free "Barbie"-themed beach party at Campus Martius Park in Detroit.
"There have been plenty of merchandise collaborations, special trailers, social media campaigns and TikTok strategies unleashed upon us over the past few months," said Ellen PutneyMoore, director of marketing at Ann Arbor's Michigan and State Theatres. "TikTok has played an incredibly important role in 'Barbie's' marketing strategy, with Barbie filters and tongue-in-cheek references to the phrase, 'she’s Barbie, he’s just Ken.'"
Things got even more interesting when "Oppenheimer" entered the picture, announcing its premiere on the same day as "Barbie's." That’s when fans started addressing both movies' contradicting color schemes and narrative tones. Although moviegoers were startled by the double feature anomaly, it seemed to lend "Oppenheimer" an extra hand in marketing.
"Credit for the hype over 'Barbenheimer' really goes to 'Barbie,'" said Gitesh Pandya, a box office analyst and editor of Box Office Guru. "That's the film with more genuine excitement. Its box office is tracking like a major superhero film."
No matter which movie takes the crown when dusk sets on premiere night, both films have been marketed in a way that has captured the attention of film fans, even overshadowing Tom Cruise's latest "Mission: Impossible" installment.
"This certainly points to a trend of making these films 'experiential' events and the importance of starting marketing buzz earlier than ever," said PutneyMoore. "Moving forward, I think any marketing team needs to be sure they are building a solid social media strategy for any film, concentrating particularly on TikTok, and with a focus on letting people create their own content with the film’s branding."
Premiere day prep
Some fans have come up with carefully calculated schedules for what their routine and movie-watching order will be come Thursday, when both movies in many markets.
Last week, AMC reported that more than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the double feature of the two films, numbers that are expected to go up as Thursday nears.
Rojin Shirwan, 20, a recent University of Michigan graduate, said watching "Barbie" first is a must.
"'Barbie' is a super fun and silly watch, so I want to relish in some pink and start off with something a little more lighthearted," said Shirwan. "Then it makes sense to switch to a darker film later on in the night to appreciate 'Oppenheimer’s' cinematography and moody acting from Cillian Murphy."
Others have argued that an "Oppenheimer" screening should come first.
"I'll definitely watch 'Oppenheimer' before 'Barbie,'" said Akash Dewan, 20, a University of Michigan junior who's currently an intern at Warner Bros. in Los Angeles. "'Oppenheimer' will be a lot heavier. Considering it's rooted in historical fiction regarding World War II and weapons of mass destruction, I have a strong feeling it will not leave the viewer with a very happy ending. Finishing with 'Barbie' will allow me to decompress and can serve as a more mindless, colorful experience that will leave me in a good mood and dolled up."
The spectacle of fan madness surrounding the double feature premiere has left many wondering whether these movies will live up to the anticipation.
While we won't know the answer until opening night, we have already seen the impact of this discourse on theaters across the country, and Laverde said advance ticket sales have surpassed expectations.
In the latest "Oppenheimer" trailer, Kenneth Branagh's character, Neil Bohr, utters the words, "the world is not prepared." While this line is in reference to the creation of the first atomic bomb, it also wholly encapsulates the excitement of "Barbenheimer's" opening day.
Breakup and makeup
On top of marketing, these films have capitalized on the media narrative pitting the movies against each other.
Some have claimed that despite Nolan’s composure during the film’s press tour, the Oscar-nominated director has privately expressed his unhappiness with the same-day release of both films. Others have claimed that part of this comes from Nolan’s rocky departure from Warner Bros., which produced much of his previous work. It’s believed that Warner Bros. initially considered releasing "Barbie" at a later date, but then settled on July 21.
Although the allegations make sense with Nolan’s relationship with Warner Bros., both films have gained more attention by proving the media wrong, and cast and crew from both films were publicly seen fraternizing with the so-called "enemy." No matter how the media has portrayed an ongoing box office war, there seems to be no outward animosity between the film teams. Instead, the stars of the two films, as well as the "Mission: Impossible" team, have been actively supportive of one another's films.
Gerwig and Robbie showed their approval for the competing summer box office hits with a post on "Barbie's" social media channels, which showed them holding tickets for the "Mission: Impossible" sequel, "Oppenheimer," and the newest "Indiana Jones" film.
Tom Cruise allegedly pushed exhibitors to put on "Mission: Impossible" ahead of Nolan's film on large-format screens after losing three weeks of IMAX exclusivity. But he washed away any allegations of bad blood with a tweet showcasing his support for the competing films.
The history of double features
Some of the most iconic films of the century have been released in theaters on the same day.
On June 8, 1984, "Ghostbusters" and "Gremlins" both hit theaters, sharing similar supernatural themes, and leaving a tough sell for executives. In the end, "Ghostbusters" came out on top, earning $13.5 million during its opening weekend, beating out "Gremlins'" $12.5 million take.
On Nov. 7, 2003, the Will Ferrel movie "Elf" went head-to-head with "Love Actually." By the end of opening weekend, "Elf" made $31.1 million, leaving "Love Actually" with a mere $6.8 million in ticket sales, although both have gone on to become annual holiday favorites.
These double features captured the public's imagination, but not quite in the way "Barbenheimer" has.
"Often times two major Hollywood films will open on the same day, but the public and the media have really taken an unprecedented amount of interest in 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' releasing on the same day," said Pandya. "Studios have often counter-programmed a major male-skewing action movie with a female-skewing rom-com or drama. But the tables have turned in 2023 as this time the female-skewing movie hands down has stronger box office muscle."
So far, it's predicted that Gerwig's comedy will outperform Nolan's dark drama. "Barbie" is expected to surpass $80 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend, while "Oppenheimer" is expected to generate $50 million.
The box office numbers may not compare to openings for mega blockbusters or franchise films, but for non-sequels, they are significant within the current trend of post-pandemic movie ticket sales.
"Eight of the top 10 grossing movies so far this year are sequels," said Pandya. "The others are 'Super Mario Bros.' and 'The Little Mermaid,' which are both based on well-known brands, so 'Barbie' fits into that category and I can see it breaking $300 million in North America alone."
"Oppenheimer" might not climb that high, but it has benefited from the "Barbenheimer" hype.
"A double feature hasn't been around for years, so it's a really exciting thought for viewers," said Emagine's LaVerde. "I think the 'Minions' film last year really took viral social media marketing to a different level and I think this double feature plays off of that marketing success."
With theaters seeing a sharp decline in moviegoers since the pandemic, marketing has become especially important in getting the word out, which both "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" have proven.
"In terms of current moviegoers, we’ve learned that films have to be pretty special for people to get up off their couches and go out, and these two films do just that with their starry casts and unique storytelling," said PutneyMoore.
