Christopher Nolan Isn’t As Chill About Barbenheimer As You May Hope
It seems that not everyone is as lighthearted as others about the "rivalry" between the two movies.
The humorous "rivalry" between Barbie and Oppenheimer has become an Internet phenomenon, sparking countless debates, memes, and some even drawing similarities between the two movies.
However, despite its overall lighthearted nature, some people are apparently genuinely concerned about both movies coming out on the same day, and Christopher Nolan may be one of them.
According to Insider, while the director denied in an interview that he was worried about two upcoming hits coming out at the same time, they later learned from four anonymous sources that the filmmaker is actually not as disinterested as he pretends to be.
They say he was rather upset, not least by the fact that mid-July is widely known in the industry as a release window for his projects.
There is even a persistent theory that it may have been intentional, due to Nolan's past conflicts with Warner Bros., although there is no evidence to support this claim.
And the legendary director's concerns are entirely understandable, given the estimated opening grosses for both projects.
While Barbie has every chance of opening in the $80-100 million box office range, Nolan's biographical thriller is projected to open in the $40-50 million range, which is made all the more daunting by the fact that Oppenheimer's budget was likely significantly higher than Barbie's.
While fans can understand the director's concerns, the situation ultimately works to their advantage, as a movie event of this magnitude hasn't happened in years.
They call it "the most American movie weekend" with "atomic bombs and blonde bombshells." However, current ticket prices may force some fans to choose just one, at least on the first weekend.
As they joke, it is a choice between seeing one of the most important men of all time having an existential crisis over his creation, or one of the most important toys of all time having an existential crisis over being a creation.
The initial reactions to both films are extraordinary, so moviegoers are indeed in for a treat. Both Barbie and Oppenheimer will be released next week, on July 21, 2023.