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There have been matchups that will go down in cinematic history. Godzilla vs. Kong, Batman vs. Superman, Balboa vs. Creed, and now joining the list, Barbie vs. Oppenheimer. The two movies were released on the same day, July 21, 2023. Oppenheimer was released by Universal Pictures while the Barbie movie was released by Warner Bros. Only one of these films could make the most at the box office in its opening weekend, and Barbie won that battle, grossing $80 million more than Oppenheimer domestically. Both movies have been doing well at both the box office and critically, sharing the Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Because both movies are of such high quality, if you are one of the people that did not run out to the theater, you might be wondering which movie to go to first.
Should You See Barbie or Oppenheimer?
Barbie and Oppenheimer are fairly different films, although they are closer than you might think. Barbie is a comedy that follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) as she faces an existential crisis and must journey from Barbieland to the “real world” to get back to her former self. Oppenheimer on the other hand is a three-hour biopic thriller that follows J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) as he heads up the Manhattan Project – the team responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb. While Oppenheimer does have a few comedic moments, and Barbie does have a few serious and emotional beats, Oppenheimer is a serious drama, and Barbie is a fun comedy.
So, if you are in the mood for some visual spectacle or want to leave the theater in a dark, terrified mood, you should go watch Oppenheimer. It doesn’t leave you happy at all, as you’ll probably be pondering whether or not nuclear weapons are going to be used on a mass scale in our lifetime. But if you want to leave the theater on a much happier note, filled with a little bit of hope, Barbie might be more your speed. This isn’t to say that Barbie isn’t visually spectacular; It is. But, if you don’t like pink, you might prefer the dark tones of Oppenheimer. In the end, it’s all up to personal preference, because both films are great movies and great cinematic experiences. However, there is another option.
The Barbieheimer Phenomenon
A few months before both movies were released, fans realized that both Barbie and Oppenheimer were coming out on the same day. This raised the hype level for both of them, partly because they are so different from one another. Somewhat remarkably, after a torrent of jokes and memes, Barbieheimer was born. Because the movies came out on the same day, a large number of people were discussing the order in which they would watch the movies – would it be Barbie first, or Oppenheimer first?
Both Barbie by Greta Gerwig and Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan were highly anticipated, and they managed to turn out to be fantastic movies. What started as a meme only ignited the marketing engine, with the directors and actors getting in on the joke. So, you could always decide to be part of the phenomenon as well and plan a day at the theater to watch both movies in a five-hour session. Maybe you could even break up the popcorn and snacks with a lunch or dinner, then go back for whatever you want to see second. Either way, it’s up to you. But plan in advance! The theaters are absolutely packed with people doing exactly what you’re planning to do.
