Millions of cinema-goers are expected to dive into the very different worlds of Barbie and Oppenheimer when the two blockbusters open on Friday, with many planning to see both – a five-hour feat – all in the same day.
More than 200,000 viewers across North America are projected to have already signed up for a “same-day double feature” of both movies this weekend, Michael O'Leary, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, told AFP.
This adds to millions of others worldwide planning to catch them on separate days, he said.
“I bought my tickets months ago as soon as they were available,” 25-year-old Joey Litvak told Reuters as he walked to an Oppenheimer screening on Thursday. “I'm seeing Barbie … right after. Barbenheimer.”
The simultaneous release of the two films – called Barbenheimer – is an odd juxtaposition that seems to have resonated with fans.
Barbie stars Margot Robbie as the Mattel doll, who is living her idyllic life in Barbie World until one day, she starts having dark thoughts – and flat feet.
Oppenheimer, from acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, stars Cillian Murphy as American physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, who oversaw the creation of the atom bomb during the Second World War.
“They intersected in a way that turned it into this really unpredictable pop culture moment, that has turned into the Barbenheimer meme,” Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice Pro, told AFP.
Barbie is expected to rake in more than $100 million in US cinemas in its first weekend, while Oppenheimer is projected to bring in $50 million.
