Barbenheimer fever has gripped Britain as hundreds of screenings of the summer’s two biggest blockbusters sold out across Britain – a welcome boost for a Covid-decimated industry.
Barbie and Oppenheimer are in for an uphill battle at the box office starting tomorrow (July 21) – and are expected to emerge victorious after spending more than $100 million each on production costs.
However, with film fans divided on which film to see first, thousands opted to buy tickets for both on the same day, giving birth to the phenomenon known as Barbenheimer.
Odeon has reported that more than 300 screenings of both films have sold out and predicts one million tickets will be sold in the next week alone.
And about 10,000 of its moviegoers have committed to a five-hour movie marathon by seeing Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day, along with 22 percent of Vue customers.
The Barbie film stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, while Oppenheimer tells the true story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb.”
The cast of Oppenheimer during a photocall in Trafalgar Square, central London. Left to right: Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh and Matt Damon
The cast of Barbie. Left to right: Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig, Issa Rae, Simu Liu and Will Ferrell attend the European Premiere of ‘Barbie’ at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023 in London
In Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Margot Robbie, 33, stars as the eponymous Barbie doll alongside her boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, 42.
The cast is a who’s who of Hollywood stars: Will Ferrell plays the CEO of Mattel and Helen Mirren the narrator.
Oppenheimer, meanwhile, boasts an all-star cast and is led by Cillian Murphy, who plays theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who helped develop the atomic bomb.
The film also features an outstanding cast including Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon.
Thanks to the excitement surrounding both films, Cineworld is anticipating its biggest ticket sales weekend in years, having already sold 200,000 tickets in advance.
The chain described it as the biggest opening since the record-breaking Avengers: Endgame in 2019, which grossed £276million in its first weekend alone.
“The incredible excitement surrounding Barbenheimer is what cinema and the magic of seeing films on the big screen is all about and we expect this weekend to be our busiest in terms of attendance since the pre-Covid era ‘ said Stuart Crane, vice president of film for Cineworld, told the Times.
“Some of our theaters have already sold out seven primetime showings of Barbie this Friday.”
“Meanwhile, Oppenheimer’s pre-sales continue to outpace Dunkirk’s and Cineworld Imax screenings for Oppenheimer are almost sold out for this first weekend.”
Barbie World: The Barbie Movie hits theaters on July 21st. Margot, 33, plays the Barbie doll of the same name alongside her boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, 42
Matt Damon (left) is Leslie Groves and Cillian Murphy (right) is J. Robert Oppenheimer in the latest Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer
The Barbenheimer phenomenon means that the films that are very different from each other don’t compete with each other but help each other to sell more tickets.
David A Gross, founder of Franchise Entertainment Research, added, “The two films will help each other, not compete, by creating the kind of excitement that we see for cinema admissions in general.”
Today, moviegoers are taking to social media to share their excitement at seeing both movies on the same day.
Tens of thousands are expected to take part in the film marathon, which will give a much-needed boost to the industry, which has suffered a £5billion loss in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
A debate ensued on social media about which film to watch first.
Sander Wagner, a 40-year-old researcher from Oxford University, said Barbie was a “dessert” after observing the more intense Oppenheimer.
He said, “Oppenheimer is probably the harder film that I’m having to digest a little from what I’ve heard.”
“I think Barbie is a fun movie to watch after a drink, and it feels a lot more like a palate cleanser or a dessert.”
The moviegoer shares their “schedule” for Barbenheimer, with only a 15-minute break between each film
Fans share their Barbenheimer “schedule” and memes ahead of watching both films in one day
Mr Wagner and his girlfriend are going to see Oppenheimer with friends in Oxford.
“After that we’ll probably have a drink or two and dinner at a bar and then go back to the movies and see the Barbie show at 9 p.m.,” he said.
Fellow cinematographer Matt Durrant, a 29-year-old HR manager from south-east London, shared the view that the Barbie film should be a second-watch.
“I’d rather finish off with something light-hearted because the idea is I think we’re going to the pub,” he said.
Outlining his Barbenheimer plans, he said: “I work for one of those very lucky companies where we have Friday afternoons off in the summer, so the idea is that a group of co-workers go to the movies.”
“We’re trying to do it one at a time.” I’m not sure it’s really settled, but we’re hoping with the timing of the ads and everything, it’ll work out.
“I think it’s quite funny that they’re both out at the same time, and I think that’s part of the appeal of why we’re going to be seeing them at the same time.”
“The hype is huge and I think a lot of people just haven’t gone to the movies since the pandemic.”
“It’s good to support the arts but the only thing I’ve seen in cinemas since the pandemic has been the Bond film so it feels a bit like a homecoming for cinema.”