Barbie Is Slaying The Global Box Office With A $337M Opening Compared To Oppenheimer, Here’s Why

Barbie and Oppenheimer Box Office

It’s time to say “Hello Barbie, let’s go party“ as we can now catch the live-action Barbie movie in theatres after a long wait. Meanwhile, we’re pretty sure unconvinced husbands and BFs would much rather catch Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer instead. 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, “Barbenheimer” is the latest internet phenomenon that has been going around. The term came about when both of the films were scheduled to be released in movie theatres on the same day around the world, which made many choosing either camps, or even watching both movies back-to-back.

With two remarkable films each featuring a star-studded cast and engaging plots, it’s no surprise that the movies have exceeded their expectations at the box office. For now, Barbie seems to have knocked it out of the park and made a record-breaking number on its opening weekend compared to Oppenheimer.

The Barbie film

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If you’re a big fan of the OG animated Barbie movies like me, you will probably drop everything to see the new live-action film featuring an iconic ensemble cast. NGL, casting Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as “himbo” Ken is a power move.

BTW, it’s also directed and written by Greta Gerwig who is the brains behind other famous movies like Little Women and Lady Bird. 

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FYI, it’s no ordinary comedy movie, which is perhaps the reason for its stellar success so far. According to audience members, the fun and spunky movie tackles hard-hitting topics like feminism and equality that got some movie-goers questioning life.That’s on top of the endless promotion with brand collaborations and even a rentable Airbnb in Malibu.

The film also reinvents the cinema-going experience, such as encouraging people to dress up in gorgeous pink fits so they can have a feel of what it’s like to be in Barbie’s world IRL.

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In comparison, Oppenheimer is a classic take on a cinema experience ― with 3 hours worth of explosions and plot twists contributing to an overall sombre movie plot. Granted it’s gotten rave reviews with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but perhaps movie goers in 2023 want something more lighthearted to take their mind off reality.   

Oppenheimer still made an impressive $174 million debut internationally, but the Barbie film has already chalked up a record-breaking $337 million globally. The latter has also surpassed every Marvel movie with the biggest opening debut of the year ― you could say Barbie slayed and served.

Indulge In The “Barbenheimer” Trend By Watching Barbie & Oppenheimer This Weekend

For myself, it’s the childhood nostalgia, gorgeous vibrant pink aesthetic and the opportunity to doll yourself up with the besties that make Barbie a must-watch. And maybe when I’m in the mood for a more serious flick, I’ll check out Oppenheimer eventually.

If anything, I’m just glad these two movies are giving cinemas a comeback after the era of streaming new releases.

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