Barbenheimer
Barbenheimer, or Oppenbarbie,[1] is an Internet phenomenon that began circulating ahead of the theatrical release of two diametrically opposed films in genre, Barbie and Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023.[2] The word is a portmanteau of the films' titles.[3] The contrast between Barbie, a fantasy comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie, and Oppenheimer, a biographical thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan about theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, provoked a comedic response from Internet users;[4] Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites".[5]
Barbie vs. Oppenheimer
The Barbenheimer phenomenon is an instance of counterprogramming, a marketing strategy where tonally different films are released on the same day to appeal to an underrepresented group. Men's magazine GQ observed the phenomenon occurring in the holiday season, such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, and compared summer to an "all-or-nothing bloodsport". In 2022, counterprogramming occurred with the summer films Top Gun: Maverick and The Bob's Burgers Movie, in which the latter is a smaller film than the former, allowing for such a dynamic.[6] In comparing Barbie and Oppenheimer, The A.V. Club quipped, "One of these films has a main character grappling with the concept of death. The other is Oppenheimer."[7] In the United States and Canada, Barbie and Oppenheimer will be released on the same date, July 21, 2023. The film's release date drew parallels to the same release date of the superhero film The Dark Knight—directed by Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan—and the jukebox musical Mamma Mia! in 2008.[8]
Internet users noted the juxtaposition of the films and posted memes on Twitter, including fictitious electoral maps of the United States suggesting an apparent victory for Barbie. The topics of these jokes included the attire of which attendees will see Barbie and Oppenheimer: flamboyant and formal, respectively.[9] Shirt designers on Etsy took advantage of the feud by designing shirts with the words "Barbenheimer"; primitive versions took to directly using the wordmarks of the two films and placing them side-by-side, while later versions designed a Barbie-inspired wordmark with "Barbenheimer".[10] Several tweets referenced the Sherbet Homes, two houses in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles marked by one's black demeanor and the other by its pink appearance.[11]
Impact on the box office
While Barbie is projected to gross $80–100 million, Oppenheimer is projected to gross $50 million in its opening weekend.[12][13]
Reactions
Film industry
Actor Tom Cruise referenced the phenomenon in a tweet in which he held up tickets to Barbie and Oppenheimer with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) director Christopher McQuarrie and referred to the two films as a double feature; Cruise has financially supported the theatrical box office industry following the success of Top Gun: Maverick and director Steven Spielberg's proclamation that Cruise "saved Hollywood's ass".[14] Gerwig and Barbie star Margot Robbie will join Cruise's film marathon, and held up tickets to Oppenheimer.[15] At the premiere of Air, actor and Oppenheimer star Matt Damon told Vanity Fair that audiences are "allowed to go see two movies in a weekend".[16]
Analysis
Ryan Gilbey of The Guardian contrasted Barbenheimer to the Blur vs. Oasis Britpop band war of the 1990s.[17]
References
- ^ Nussen, Greg (June 28, 2023). "The top films of 2023, thus far". Boing Boing. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Jaworski, Michelle (June 29, 2023). "Barbenheimer is the cinematic meme of the summer". The Daily Dot. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "Barbenheimer: Barbie meets Oppenheimer - the release of the year's two biggest films is a meme dream". Yahoo Life. June 30, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Ankers-Range, Adele (June 30, 2023). "The Internet Embraces 'Barbenheimer' With Memes, Mashups, and More". IGN. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Clark, Nicole (June 28, 2023). "The people refuse to decide between Barbie and Oppenheimer". Polygon. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Phipps, Keith (June 5, 2023). "When Summer Blockbusters Collide: A Short History". GQ. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ White, Cindy (April 27, 2023). "When Barbie meets Oppenheimer, it's a battle of iconic vs. atomic". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Nguyen, Janet (April 13, 2023). ""Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are opening on the same date. Why that's not a bad thing". Marketplace. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Edwards, Molly (June 30, 2023). "The internet is exploding with Barbenheimer memes". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Moses, Claire (June 28, 2023). "Mark Your Calendars: 'Barbenheimer' Is Coming". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Frank, Jason (July 2, 2023). "Barbenheimer Memes Are Blowing Up". Vulture. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 29, 2023). "'Barbie' Glamming Up For $80M-$100M Opening With Presales Bigger Than 'Little Mermaid'; 'Oppenheimer' Has Shot At $50M – Box Office Outlook". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Johnston, Chris. "'Barbie' is set to win the 'Barbenheimer' box office battle with 'Oppenheimer' on their opening weekend". Business Insider. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Walsh, Savannah (June 28, 2023). "Tom Cruise Endorses Your Barbie and Oppenheimer Double Feature". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Garbutt, Emily (June 30, 2023). "Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie have accepted Tom Cruise's movie marathon mission". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Chi, Paul (May 22, 2023). "Matt Damon Takes a Stand on Oppenheimer vs. Barbie". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Gilbey, Ryan (June 29, 2023). "Blonde v bombshell: get set for the Barbie-Oppenheimer smackdown". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2023.