Barbenheimer: The biggest Hollywood battle of 2023

July 21 is going to be the biggest Hollywood box office war in recent memory as Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” and Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer” make their theatrical debuts worldwide. In the Philippines, the play date is July 19, two days before these hit US theaters.

This pop culture pheno-menon has been dubbed “Barbeheimer” (a portmanteau of the titles), with memes created out of the fact that both are coming out on the same day. What’s interesting is that both films are in total contrast. “Barbie” is a fantasy comedy based on the iconic dolls set in an unspecified present time with a bright pink aesthetic, whereas “Oppenheimer” is a much darker historical film based on J. Robert Oppenheimer who was responsible for creating the first ever nuclear weapons.

Barbie V. Oppenheimer

So aside from their similar playdates, why did moviegoers and internet cinephiles decide to pit these movies against each other? For one, both are helmed by well-respected filmmakers and Oscar nominees. Barbie’s Greta Gerwig is known for directing “Lady Bird” and 2019’s “Little Women”, while the filmography of Oppenheimer’s Christopher Nolan has the Batman Dark Knight trilogy starring Christan Bale, “Inception”, and “Interstellar.”

Both feature an ensemble cast and two leading actors that are major box office draws. “Barbie” has Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, “Oppenheimer” has Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt.

The two flicks are likewise expected to get major praise from critics and audiences for their merits so it won’t be surprising if both make it to everyone’s list of top 10 films of this year. Gerwig is already praised for turning the story of “Barbie” into something more thought-provoking than a typical “intellectual property” movie, while Nolan is being lauded for tackling the life of a controversial historical figure into a disturbing epic.

Their respective marketing campaigns make them stand out and further fuel the Barbenheimer phenomenon – ensuring both films are on equal standing in capturing the public’s attention. “Barbie” is carried by its heavy focus on the color pink in its marketing materials as well as a soundtrack album curated by Mark Ronson that has Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, K-pop group Fifty Fifty, and more contributing their songs. Of course, merchandise dolls created by Barbie’s manufacturer Mattel were also made.

Oppenheimer’s marketing heavily emphasizes the fact that a historical film of this scale should be seen on the big screen, preferably on IMAX which has been Nolan’s preferred format in shooting and viewing his masterpieces. While moviegoers may not be able to see “Oppenheimer” in Nolan’s ultimate preferred format which is 70mm IMAX film, they will still get the best results from SM Cebu Cinemas’ IMAX digital screen. The fact that the name Christopher Nolan is being used to market a movie shows how well-respected he is as a filmmaker.

No war, just a double feature

While it’s fun to pit both films against each other, many of those who are excited for Barbenheimer are planning to watch the two on the same day as a double feature. US theater chain AMC claimed that 20,000 of their customers in the US have already booked tickets to “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day.

Tom Cruise, whose film “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning-Part One” was released a week earlier, posted a photo of him holding tickets for “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

“I love a double feature, and it doesn’t get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Oppenheimer and Barbie”, the blockbuster actor tweeted.

Gerwig and Robbie followed suit with photos of them holding tickets to see their own movie, as well as “Oppenheimer” and Cruise’s film. Meanwhile, Murphy said in an interview that he is going to see “Barbie.”

“I think it’s just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by two amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day. You can spend a whole day at the cinema. What’s better than that?”, he told IGN in an interview during Oppenheimer’s press tour.

Even the social media pages of local cinema chains are taking advantage of the phenomena by posting memes related to it, encouraging people to watch the films back-to-back.

PH box office potential

It’s worth noting that a movie ticket in the Philippines is a bit costly and watching two films is something that not everyone has the luxury to do. So it’s unclear if Barbenheimer would actually influence the Philippine moviegoing population to watch both on the big screen on the same week, let alone on the same day.

For sure, “Barbie” will get everyone’s attention as it’s family fare with a recognizable brand name so it’s bound to be a box office success. However, one shouldn’t underestimate Oppenheimer’s box office draw in the Philippines as Nolan is already an established name.

But that there is interest from some Filipino moviegoers to watch “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day is already a good sign for cinemas in the country, considering that audiences have gotten pickier with their choices given the price of movie tickets and the rise of streamers.

Behind the memes, there is something magical about Barbieheimer. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the world watches movies – a concern among industry stakeholders on whether the theatrical experience will ever be the same pre-pandemic. Not only have people started to realize that the big screen experience is much more immersive than watching on a laptop or mobile screen, but they are also introduced to the idea that a double feature is actually doable.

Whether you are a Barbie girl living in a Barbie world or someone who likes to watch the world burn – or even both – nothing can come close to watching these on the big screen with an audience reacting with you. It helps that both have interesting stories, are made by some of the best directors in Hollywood, and have a stellar cast to look out for – ensuring that the theatrical experience is worth every peso.