Cinephiles quickly made note of the fact Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer have the same theatrical release date. A number of them were actually tickled by the notion of two completely different films coming out on the same day. As a result, countless memes began to surface, with the Internet collectively deeming the two films "Barbenheimer." Since then, people have made discussed their plans to see both flicks, which will make for a killer double feature. Well, it would appear that AMC is benefiting from their desires, as the company revealed some eye-opening ticket sales.
AMC revealed that over 20,000 members of its AMC Stubs loyalty program have purchased same-day tickets for Oppenheimer and Barbie. According to The Wrap, the demand for double-feature screenings has been so immense that the company has had to shape their screening times in a way that accommodates patrons wanting to see both films in one day. This means more matinee screenings and that showtimes are being staggered around each other. This is quite the phenomenon, and one would think that despite the scheduling obstacles this could create, the theater chain is happy to have the business.
This is a very interesting dichotomy, given the films' stark differences in tone. Chris Nolan's historical drama seems to be very dour, with the director teasing an absolutely devastating viewing experience. The contrast with Greta Gerwig's flick is comically extreme, as it promises a pink, sparkly and hilarious film about self-discovery. It should make for quite the outing at the theater, and I'm curious as to which one moviegoers opt to see first.
The hype linking the two movies has been financially beneficial for both. Box office numbers have been suffering in a post-streaming world, though predictions for both movies have been incredibly strong. Barbie is expected to gross $80-100 million amid opening weekend, with Oppenheimer possibly looking at a $50-60 million debut. The Margot Robbie movie's mass appeal will likely pull it ahead, though you can't scoff at the theoretical numbers for Cillian Murphy's.
The memes have also caught the attention of the filmmakers. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie posted for a photo together in front of a poster for the Nolan movie. In doing so, they showed support for the flick and accepted a movie challenge from Tom Cruise. And when Robbie was asked to sign a shirt that advertised both blockbuster films, she wrote on the Barbie side, leaving room for Cillian Murphy to sign the opposite side.
Even the aforementioned Tom Cruise, whose Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One releases the week before, hyped up both of the big summer movies and revealed his own Barbenheimer plans. As for the Oppenheimer camp, Matt Damon supported the double feature, suggesting that audiences see both when they come out. Murphy was also very supportive of the competing project, opining that it could encourage more people to get out to the theaters. And based on AMC's ticket sale reveal, it seems that people are indeed going to make the trip to the movies.
You can get in on the fun by seeing Oppenheimer and/or Barbie when they hit theaters on July 21st. For more information on other movies heading to cinemas later this year, make sure to consult our schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
