The lines have been drawn, are you Team Oppenheimer or Team Barbie – that’s the running joke among cinephiles on social media as Christopher Nolan‘s feature on the invention of the Atomic Bomb releases on the same day as Greta Gerwig‘s movie on the Mattel doll. The debate appears to be if Warner Bros. or Universal Pictures would emerge victorious over the other on the opening weekend earnings at the box office.
While the Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie starrer feature has been testing well with audiences since the first promo -The second trailer for Barbie has amplified anticipation by unveiling a slew of star-studded cast members. From the likes of Sex Education stars like Emma Mackey, and Connor Swindells to surprising additions like Will Ferrell – the promotional footage has received positive reactions similar to the Spider-Verse 2 trailer.
With Barbie releasing on July 21, the same day Nolan’s Oppenheimer arrives in theaters -excitement brews for both projects. However, some stans are choosing sides since learning about the surprising new cast members like John Cena, Dua Lipa and more confirmed to appear in the Mattel-based feature.
Similarly, Oppenheimer supporters have argued the 3-hour biopic features A-list talent such as Cillian Murphy in the titular role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss and Matt Damon‘s Leslie Groves Jr. to name a few.
The marketing for the Mattel feature has been top-tier so far, especially the characters poster for the Barbie Land movie started a new trend with celebs like Karen Gillan recreating the promo material’s design but featuring Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s Nebula. Moreover, fans have also shared their edition of Barbie-inspired posters for Oppenheimer’s cast too. Readers can check it out below.
Me watching Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same Day. pic.twitter.com/6M4Vw5juRB
— చాండ్లర్😳 (@chandler999999) April 4, 2023
OPPENHEIMER vs. #Barbie on opening weekend pic.twitter.com/blwICjBrqY
— Zoë Rose Bryant (@ZoeRoseBryant) April 4, 2023
Screw Oppenheimer. This is what we're seated for. https://t.co/axUniyGlHN
— Humble Wrestling (@WrestlingHumble) April 4, 2023
— Karen Gillan (@karengillan) April 4, 2023
Christopher Nolan watching himself agree to release Oppenheimer on the same day as Barbie .
pic.twitter.com/ZP3DyZo5h0— Film Daze (@filmdaze) April 4, 2023
My two personalities coexisting after watching #Barbie and #Oppenheimer💣 on July 21st pic.twitter.com/itRNLz9pGn
— Chief Mackenzie Bock (@GothamChief) April 4, 2023
Oppenheimer marketing team looking at these Barbie posters. pic.twitter.com/2F3bGotFIb
— Dennis Buckly (@Playbuck_PH) April 4, 2023
4 tickets to ‘Barbie’ please… (and 1 ticket for ‘Oppenheimer’) pic.twitter.com/6XvFqT3q0D
— no context daisy jones & the six (@djatsnocontxt) April 4, 2023
Watching the third act of Barbie when Ken tearfully realizes he’s been sexist as the theater shakes from the nukes going off in Oppenheimer.
— Pugmane 🐾 🐛 🥫 (@pugmane) April 4, 2023
Oppenheimer and Barbie releasing on July 21st got me like: pic.twitter.com/DIPvhCPWzX
— ThemeParkChasers 🍄🎢🧱 (@pink_tpc) April 4, 2023
how it’ll feel walking out from the barbie/oppenheimer double feature pic.twitter.com/fr5OhKSbma
— campbell (@rodeoman) April 4, 2023
me on july 21st going straight from barbie dir. greta gerwig to oppenheimer dir. christopher nolan
— sam (@brekkersfilms) April 4, 2023
did they do this on purpose pic.twitter.com/swiiW9NTc2
— Kenzie Vanunu (@kenzvanunu) March 30, 2023
It's worth remembering that Greta Gerwig is probably looking forward to seeing 'Oppenheimer' and that Chris Nolan is probably eagerly anticipating 'Barbie.'
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) April 4, 2023
The Manhattan project detonation scene in Oppenheimer might be heard in the neighboring theater during this scene from Barbie in some screenings pic.twitter.com/kGCDr6xr4A
— Amish🐍Fang🐍Ganger🐍Fuggetti (@nomchompskey) April 4, 2023
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer found dead in a ditch. pic.twitter.com/hrJvOGK0JD
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) April 4, 2023
trying to watch barbie when the oppenheimer screening is playing in the cinema next to you pic.twitter.com/V6lIWWi60Y
— yasmin (@ycsm1n) April 4, 2023
wait people are really taking this whole barbie vs oppenheimer thing seriously pic.twitter.com/rp1mFctYj1
— tommy shelby apologist (@cilliancore) April 5, 2023
men arent allowed to give their opinions on barbie yall have oppenheimer for that! https://t.co/STcZaWGaWS
— ⭐️ (@worthedrives) April 4, 2023
me skipping Oppenheimer and sitting down for #Barbie on 21st July 2023 pic.twitter.com/dPwVu5x3Se
— lewis barbie era (@lewisjwr) April 4, 2023
The Barbie theater when the Oppenheimer IMAX Atomic Bomb goes off pic.twitter.com/D3lwafWJiG
— Blake Garman (@FrostedBlakes34) April 4, 2023
Well this is awkward, Oppenheimer just released their new poster too pic.twitter.com/6zNrHhS9Ht
— Rachel Moss (@supitsrachel) April 4, 2023
Universal Pictures is yet to roll out its promos for the Christopher Nolan movie. Nonetheless, anticipation for the IMAX shot epic thriller has been growing through word of mouth from Nolan stans. Furthermore, the studio’s live teaser countdown was also praised as a game-changer marketing so perhaps Nolan’s feature may have a good promo game in store as well.
July will be a tough month for both studios as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning releases a week prior on July 14. Moreover, all three titles will be competing for the IMAX screens too. It remains to be seen which title would emerge as a blockbuster or rather would dominate the box office over the other.
